Nathan Chatimba sentence: Peni Apikotoa murderer jailed for 21 years

A western Sydney man described as a “community protector” and “hero” was killed at the hands of a “mate”. Now, the murderer has been sentenced for his violent crime.

A man who brutally murdered his “mate” by stabbing him six times in western Sydney has been sentenced to 21 years imprisonment over the 2018 murder.

Nathan Chatimba, 34, originally from Zimbabwe, sat quietly with his hands clasped together on his lap as he learned his sentence in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday (July 16).

He was jailed for 21 years with a non-parole period of 15 years and nine months for killing Peni Apikotoa, a man described in court as “gentle” and a “beautiful son and brother”.

During the early evening of August 11 2018, the victim arrived at his friend Cassandra Sanders’ St Clair home concerned for her welfare after she had called him about a visit from her ex-partner Chatimba.

Murderer Nathan Chatimba. Picture: Facebook

A jealous Chatimba, who was found guilty of murder by a Supreme Court jury earlier this year, became angry and attacked Mr Apikotoa shortly after he arrived.

Chatimba stabbed him with a kitchen knife which caused the victim to bleed profusely.

The Tongan man tried to flee and ran 50m as Chatimba gave chase and tried to stab him in the back.

The court heard the fatally injured Mr Apikotoa ultimately fell over some bins where he died before an ambulance arrived.

When police later told Chatimba that Mr Apikotoa had died he said “I killed my mate, I killed my mate”, a court heard last month.

The victim suffered six stab wounds during the attack including to his chest, shoulder, forearms and wrist. One of the stab wounds to his chest was 6cm deep and severed an artery, the court heard.

The beloved victim Peni Apikotoa. Picture: 7NEWS

Justice Robertson Wright found the stabbing was “impulsive and not very well thought out” following an angry response to the phone call.

He found that Chatimba was trying to seriously harm the victim rather than kill him.

A letter of remorse penned by Chatimba was read out in court which stated he continued to relive the incident in his dreams.

“I relive it in my dreams,” the letter read. “I just wish I could go back and change things. My mate would still be here.”

During a sentence hearing last month, the Supreme Court heard of the family’s pain and horror of losing their much-loved brother and son.

“Peni was an asset to my family, to his friends and to the community,” his sister, and Royal Australian Navy commander, Rosemarie Apikotoa said. “He is more of a hero than I could ever be.”

Ms Apikotoa said her father, who had been diagnosed with cancer, died of a broken heart three months after the murder.

“The violent nature of my brother’s death was the final nail in my father’s coffin,” she said. “The death certificate says cancer but we know it was from a broken heart.”

Chatimba, a scaffolder, was born in Zimbabwe and had a troubled upbringing before his family moved to Australia in 2007.

Judge Wright accepted he suffered from PTSD as a result of his childhood.

He will be eligible for parole in 2034 taking into account time already served behind bars.