Kreetika Kumar 
[Source: 9News]
Former Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama’s son Meli Bainimarama has been sentenced to 28 months in prison, with a non-parole period of 14 months.
He was found guilty of three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, two counts of choking without consent and one count of stalking and intimidation.
At his sentencing hearing, the Parramatta Local Court heard Bainimarama started a relationship with the victim in February 2022.
The court heard Bainimarama hit his ex-girlfriend’s head, causing a perforated ear drum.
The victim says she suffered “unbearable pain” from her injury and that it has left her with partial hearing loss.
The court heard Bainimarama had previously served seven months of a 10-month sentence for domestic violence-related offences committed against another woman in 2023.
While on bail for the offences he committed in 2022, Bainimarama attacked his then estranged wife in the couple’s bedroom.
The prosecution argued Bainimarama posed some risk to the community given that two of his consecutive relationships involved violence against a female partner.
