Convict found guilty of murdering seven-month pregnant girlfriend
SHILLONG: The Court of District and Sessions Judge, Shillong, sentenced Tenderlywell Hynniewta to life imprisonment, besides imposing a fine of Rs. 20,000, and in default of fine to undergo an additional one year imprisonment in an infamous 11-year-old murder case.
On September 6, 2002, Tenderlywell had murdered his girlfriend, Corphilia Nongkynrih (19), who was seven-months pregnant, by slitting her throat at a graveyard at Lawmali, a Shillong suburb. However, after his arrest he was granted bail despite evidence of his involvement in the killing.
In 2008, the Court of District and Sessions Judge had sentenced Hynniewta to life imprisonment and three years of additional jail term with fine of Rs. 6000, for the cold-blooded murder of his girlfriend in 2002.
However, after Tenderlywell appealed against the verdict in the High Court, the case was referred back to the District and Session Court for re-trial in February, 2012.
“This is the second trial of the case in the lower court after the High Court had referred back the case for re-trial in 2012,” Public Prosecutor IC Jha said on Friday, while adding that the hearing of the case had started on Monday.
He, further, informed that Tenderlywell was convicted on two charges.
In the first charge, Jha said that Tenderlywell was convicted for concealment of the evidences under Section 201 of the IPC and was remanded for three years’ jail term.
“The court, however, decided to set off the first charges since he has been locked inside jail ever since the first judgement in 2008,” Jha said.
Referring to the second charge, Jha informed that the court convicted Tenderlywell under Section 302 of the IPC for murder.
Jha, however, said that Tenderlywell was at liberty to appeal against the judgment of the lower court.
Meanwhile, senior State counsel WHD Syngkon has welcomed the judgment of the lower court.
“When I first took up the case, I had sought for death sentence against the accused. The court declined my appeal and convicted the accused to life imprisonment,” Syngkon said.