Chinese National Charged for Murder Wants to Plead Guilty to Manslaughter

The Suva High Court heard yesterday that the 33-yearold woman of Asian descent found dead at her flat in Namadi, outside Suva last year had died due to asphyxia caused by manual strangulation.

Prosecution witness Dr James Kalougivaki made the revelation when he took the stand in the trial of Wang Qi Yong’s case.

Yong, a Chinese national, is charged with the Namadi Heights murder that took place on May 13, 2019.

Assisted by a Mandarin interpreter, Yong was represented by a Legal Aid Commission counsel before Judge Justice Daniel Goundar for his one week trial.

Yong has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder; however, he wished to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

He told the Court that he did not intend to kill her; he acted under provocation by the deceased as she scratched him when he did not want to give the deceased extra money.

However, prosecution proceeded with the charge of murder.

Dr Kalougivaki told the Court that he conducted the post mortem of the deceased on May 17 last year and found that the deceased had passed away at around 8am on May 13.

He also told the Court that findings of the post mortem revealed that there were bruises on the face and neck of the deceased. Dr Kalougivaki told the Court that there were blockages of blood and the cause of death was asphyxia caused by manual strangulation.

He added that due to extreme pressure inflicted on the deceased’s neck, there was no oxygen and blood going to the brain. This could decrease the heart rate and or cause cardiac arrest by the compression of the nerves.

The trial continues before Justice Goundar today.

Yong has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder; however, he wished to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.