A man who fought another person  at Metro Night Club, causing that person’s death last year, will serve a three-year prison sentence.

The court heard that the fight took place early in the morning on October 3, 2024.

According to the Supreme Court judgment delivered last Friday, the man punched the victim twice, causing him to fall to the ground before running away.

The court stated that the victim’s friends drove him home and left him at his house, but the next day he passed away.

Because of his actions, the accused pleaded guilty to one count of intentional assault causing death.

This offense, under section 107(d) of the Penal Code [CAP 135], carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment.

However, following precedents in similar cases, the Public Prosecutor requested a sentence of between five to 10 years, while the defense lawyer asked for five years.

Supreme Court Judge Dudley Aru set six years as the starting point for sentencing.

Because the man pleaded guilty, the judge reduced the sentence by 33%.

The 30-year-old father of three received a further seven-month reduction because the judge acknowledged his positive role in supporting his community.

The court also noted that the man carried out a major custom reconciliation with the deceased’s family, which included land and items valued at about 2 million vatu.

Judge Aru said the total custom reconciliation value was around 2.3 million vatu, leading to an additional five-month reduction.

Justice Aru stated that he would not suspend the sentence because the offender’s actions resulted in the loss of a life.

The man remains out of custody for now, but the court has ordered him to report to the correctional centre on November 7 to begin serving his three-year sentence.