by Cam Lucadou-Wells
A serial violent offender who fatally stabbed a Noble Park resident in the heart, then smiled and said ‘I did it man’ has been jailed.
An apparently remorseless John Gatwech-Chouil, 31, pleaded guilty at the Supreme Court of Victoria to manslaughter.
On 16 September 2022, the victim Bol Guak was on his bed arguing with Gatwech-Chouil during a party in Guak’s apartment.
At one stage, Guak and a friend laughed together on the bed, prompting the accused to say “Do you think I’m joking” and to stab Guak twice in the chest with a large kitchen knife.
As others tried to help Guak, the accused remained lying on the bed next to him.
Paramedics were unable to resuscitate Guak, who was stabbed in the lung and the heart.
“When asked by a member of the group about what had happened, you smiled and said ‘I did it man,’” sentencing judge Rita Incerti said on 13 November.
The victim’s cousins and sister told the court of their intense grief. Guak was described as a happy, respectful man – “always being a good boy”.
He’d send money to his family in Africa even when he was unemployed in the pandemic.
Gatwech-Chouil was arrested, initially charged with murder and assessed by police as unfit for interview.
There was “no apparent provocation”, nor any attempt by him to assist the dying victim, Justice Incerti noted.
He showed no evidence of remorse, the judge found.
Justice Incerti rated the accused’s rehabilitation prospects as “poor” given his history of violence and failing to engage with supports while in custody.
Gatwech-Chouil was exposed to violence, deprivation and war-related trauma while growing up in an Ethiopian refugee camp.
He had no formal schooling and saw his cousin killed in front of him.
In 2002, he and his family migrated to Australia without being able to speak English and with learning difficulties.
After being expelled from high school, he stated he “decided to give up” on life, drank heavily and used illicit drugs.
Gatwech-Chouil declined to attend appointments for mental health assessments prior to sentencing.
Justice Incerti noted that it was well established that refugees to experience trauma in fleeing their countries. They commonly exhibit symptoms of PTSD and aggressive behaviour.
His prior history included lengthy jail terms for violent offences – including six years imprisonment at age 18.
“It is hard to see this sentence serving a rehabilitative purpose,” Justice Incerti said.
“However I hope that a lengthy period of time in custody will prompt you at some point to take up the opportunity to access any resources available to you in custody, including mental health supports.”
The judge also observed: “There is a scourge of knife violence in this State and it too often has tragic results.”
Gatwech-Chouil was jailed for up to nine years. He’ll be eligible for parole after serving seven years.
His term includes 789 days of pre-sentence detention.
