A man has been sentenced to life in prison for strangling an Australian United Nations aid worker in Fiji to death before placing coins on her eyes and sending a photograph of her body to her father.
Jennifer Downes, who worked as a logistics officer for the UN World Food Program in Suva, had just returned from an overseas assignment when her husband Henri Lusaka murdered her in their house while their three children were at home in July 2019.
Jennifer Downes, who was known professionally as Jenna Lusaka, said she found work at the World Food Program amazing.Credit:WFP/Jemma Pietrus
Fiji High Court Justice Gihan Kulatunga said Lusaka had most likely pinned her to the ground while looking her straight in the eyes, strangling her for between three and eight minutes until “her life was squeezed out of her”.
Lusaka, who migrated to Fiji with Downes from Congo in 2017, had sent a series of messages to Downes’ father, Christopher Downes, in the days leading up to her murder accusing his daughter of having an affair with a co-worker. The 42-year-old had also abused the UN official in charge of security Charles O’Hanlan when he went with Fijian police to check on the house while Downes was away.
O’Hanlan had attempted to get Downes to leave the home she shared with Lusaka when she returned but she “point-blank” refused any of his suggestions to go to a safe house the day before she was murdered.
After strangling her to death, Lusaka placed coins on her eyes and sent a photograph to her father with the message “you lose motherf—, I win” and “this is what you made me do.”
Jennifer Downes (right) with Henri Lusaka John, who has been sentenced to life in prison over her murder. Credit:Facebook
Kulatunga said what happened at their home that day was known only to Lusaka, “and if at all, your three kids”. He said the circumstances and the pathologist’s evidence shed light on Downes’ last moments which showed she had fought for her life, due to the bruises and haemorrhaging on her body.
Downes worked as the World Food Program’s Pacific logistics and project officer based in Suva since 2017, and they resided at a rented-Service Street home in the Domain area, where many diplomats and development workers live.
The judge said the defence had proved that Lusaka was “under the influence of substance-induced acute and transient psychosis at the time of the murder” but this did not mean he was entitled to the defence of diminished responsibility.
“This by all means is an extremely cruel death brought about by your own hands,” Kulatunga said.
“You embarked upon and pursued this violent and horrible act behind locked doors whilst your young kids were in the house. There is no doubt they certainly would have known, heard and understood what exactly was happening.
“This is another instance of domestic violence where the victim had paid the supreme price.”
In a victim impact statement read out in court, Christopher Downes said, “to lose a daughter is to have a piece of your soul ripped away, and it is never quite the same”.
Christopher Downes said they had been “wounded” and hurting from this loss for the past three years.
Kulatunga said Christopher Downes’ sentiments showed the grief and trauma suffered by the family, “and the fact that the accused showed no remorse or regret has further compounded their grief”.
Lusaka sat in the dock on Friday with clasped hands as he listened to the interpreter translate Kulatunga’s judgement. Kulatunga said Lusaka must serve a minimum of 20 years in prison for the “extremely brutal” murder.
Kulatunga said the three children, who were aged six, four and three years old at the time of the murder have recurring nightmares and live in fear of their father coming to harm them.
The court heard the three children were now under the care of elderly family members in Australia.
If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual assault or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
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