Boronika Hothnyang

Boronika, AW, and six other men had been drinking in her Dandenong flat for two days. While a number of the witnesses were out buying more wine, it was claimed that Boronika stabbed the victim (AW) after an argument.

The knife strike was cleanly delivered between two ribs, piercing AW's heart. Only one witness claims to have seen this, and stated Boronika stabbed AW in a downward motion, while the medical examiner described a ‘knife wound with an upward trajectory'. The other witnesses all give varying accounts of what happened. Boronika claims she was asleep at the time of the stabbing. She had passed out from drinking and was found asleep in bed by police who had to shake her awake.

Boronika had injured her dominant hand in a car accident several years before the incident and was still receiving treatment for those injuries. The same hand had been cut and injured in a domestic incident a few weeks before AW was stabbed. Boronika was described as appearing heavily intoxicated by Department of Housing staff a couple of hours before the stabbing. A key question of ours is can a drunk woman with a chronic hand injury hold a knife and deliver a clean stab?

Boronika and her interpreter spoke different dialects of Arabic and had difficulties understanding each other. As a result, Boronika had trouble understanding what was occurring throughout her police interview and trial, and had difficulty communicating with her lawyers.

In 2022, Boronika was released on parole, and now must abide by strict parole conditions. She is still seeking to clear her name as she rebuilds her life.

The Bridge of Hope Innocence Initiative stands with Boronika and continue to assist in her fight to clear her name.