An Auckland grandmother never got to visit her newborn granddaughter because she was murdered by her partner after they argued about the cost of the trip to see her, a court has been told.
Jiwan Ram was found guilty of murdering Bimla Wati at their Mt Wellington home in November last year and was today sentenced in the High Court in Auckland to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 11 years and five months.
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Justice Whata said on the night of the murder, the couple argued over 47-year-old Ms Wati's wish to visit her new granddaughter in New Plymouth.
Ram wanted to postpone the visit because they did not have enough money.
He then stabbed and cut Ms Wati 12 times while she sat doing her hair on the couch as she prepared for bed.
Two boarders saw the attack, with one seeing Ram plunge the knife into Ms Wati's back; he initially thought he was punching Ms Wati until he saw the bloodied knife.
Justice Whata said the speed of the attack meant Ms Wati had no opportunity to defend herself.
Victim innocent, humble
Ms Wati's siblings filed victim impact impact statements with the court, describing her as an innocent and humble person.
One brother, who works as a bus driver, said he frequently cried during his shifts and passengers would ask him what was wrong.
A sister spoke of the pain of hearing the details of her sister's death and the sleepless nights that followed.
Defence lawyer Hugh Leabourne had told the court Ram would never forgive himself for what he had done and had tried to take his own life shortly after the murder.
But Justice Whata said the suicide attempt was not genuine and there was evidence Ram had taken his diabetes medication between the stabbing and when police arrived at the house.
There was no evidence of remorse from Ram, who wrote to Ms Wati's family for the first time today, telling them he unknowingly caused the death.
Ram also blamed Ms Wati for making a disparaging comment about his mother but there was no excuse for how he reacted, Justice Whata said.
He rejected the Crown's application for a minimum prison sentence of 17 years, saying the attack did not have the required level of brutality but he said there was a need to denounce the horrible domestic violence.
