Lautoka Court [File Photo]

A man who stabbed his cousin during a drinking party has been sentenced to three years and eleven months in prison by the Lautoka High Court.

According to the case details, after a heated argument, the 39-year-old punched the victim in the face and stabbed him in the stomach with a sharp object.

The incident took place on May 8, 2021.

During the sentencing, High Court judge Justice Sunil Sharma stated that the accused, through his counsel had requested a suspended sentence.

However, Justice Sharma deemed a suspended sentence too lenient, fearing it might encourage others to use weapons or deadly objects to resolve disputes which would send the wrong message to the community.

Justice Sharma says when someone uses a weapon or lethal object resulting in serious injuries to another person, they should expect severe consequences in the form of immediate imprisonment.

He also emphasized to the man that no amount of remorse could exempt him from a prison term, as he should have considered the consequences of his actions beforehand.

The High Court judge criticized the man, calling him a coward and stating that he should feel ashamed of himself, deserving no leniency from the court.

The man will be eligible for parole after serving two years and six months in custody.