Man who stabbed former partner in row over dinner jailed for 21 months

By Eimear Dodd

A man who stabbed his former partner in the shoulder a number of times after a dispute about dinner has been jailed for 21 months.

Moise Muhula (54) with an address at St Mary’s Place, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at an address in west Dublin on December 22, 2017. He has no previous convictions.

An investigating garda told Diana Stuart BL, prosecuting on Tuesday that the injured party was in a relationship with Muhula at the time. He came to her home at 7.30pm on the day in question. Muhula asked her about dinner and she told him to go home if he wanted dinner.

He became aggressive and started shouting. He got a knife from the kitchen and went into the sitting room, where she was watching TV. He told her “you will see now” before saying he would kill her and “go to prison for you”.

He then stabbed the victim at least three times in the shoulder and punched her several times. He took her upstairs, where she went to the bathroom as there was a lot of blood.

Muhula went downstairs and a few minutes later, the victim came downstairs. The front door was open and Muhula was sitting in her car, the keys having gone missing from the house.

He got out of the car and walked away. Muhula was later arrested, but nothing of evidential value was obtained.

A medical report was handed to the court. The victim was treated for four wounds to her shoulder and a head injury.

A local garda said the guilty plea was of relief to her. A victim impact statement was handed in, but not read aloud.

The garda agreed with Kate Egan BL, defending, that his client has not come to negative attention since this incident.

He accepted that this appeared to have been a “once-off”, “horrible” incident between the parties.

Ms Egan told the court her client came to Ireland from the Congo as a refugee. He has limited English and is living in a hostel.

She said her client had indicated a history of depression, mental health issues and substance abuse but the defence was unable to obtain documents in relation to this.

Ms Egan said her client instructs there was a “misunderstanding” and he “lost his temper” as he believed his then-partner was having an affair. He is extremely apologetic.

Judge Martin Nolan said Muhula stabbed the victim, beat her and “pulled her around the house” following what was a dispute “at least in the eyes of” the defendant.

He said the use of a knife and the relationship between the parties were aggravating factors. Judge Nolan noted the mitigation included the guilty plea, Muhula’s lack of previous convictions, personal traumas, and the passage of time since this incident occurred.

He imposed a sentence of 21 months.