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\f36\fs24\lang1033\langfe5129\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp5129 {\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 IN THE HIGH COURT OF FIJI
\par At Suva
\par Appellate Jurisdiction
\par }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
\par CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 3 OF 1991
\par 
\par Between:
\par 
\par }{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 SALENDRA KUMAR
\par }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 s/o Kasi Ram
\par }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421\charrsid10640421 Appellant
\par }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
\par v.
\par 
\par }{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 THE STATE}{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421\charrsid10640421 
\par }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 Respondent
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10640421 {\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
\par Appellant in Person
\par Mr. J. Prakash for the Respondent
\par 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\tqc\tx3969\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10640421 {\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 JUDGMENT}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10640421 {\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
\par The appellant was sentenced to }{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 18 months}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421  imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to an offence of }{
\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 Larceny}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421  of 10 pairs of Reebok canvas and six T-shirts.
\par 
\par He has served 4 months imprisonment and now appeals against both his conviction and sentence on the ground }{\b\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 firstly}{
\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421  }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 that he did not commit the offence and }{\b\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
secondly}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421  that the sentence is harsh and excessive and disparate from sentences imposed on his co-accused.
\par 
\par {\*\bkmkstart QuickMark}{\*\bkmkend QuickMark}As to the appeal against conviction it is noted that the appellant was charged with 4 others (including 3 women).}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421  }{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 The detailed facts outlined in relation to 2 of the 3 women involved, indicates that they were }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 actively}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421  involved in the theft of the articles from a shop in the Deuba Shopping Centre.
\par 
\par This clearly differs from the facts outlined against the appellant which are cryptically recorded as follows}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421 :}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421  
\par 
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\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421 :}{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid4541546 \tab }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 Already outlined (5th accused was the}{
\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421  }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 mastermind)."
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\par }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 As already pointed out none of the facts already outlined referred specifically to anything the appellant did in the commission of the offence.}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421  }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 As for being the}{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421  "mastermind" }{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 it was a bare unsupported }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 albeit }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
undisputed assertion on the part of the prosecutor.
\par 
\par Be that as it may, the women were each sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for their part.
\par 
\par Learned State counsel was unable to assist the court on the crucial matter of the appellant's actual role other than to note that the driver of the car from which the stolen goods were eventually recovered was not the appellant.}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421  }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 The appellant's role in the entire incident still remains a }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
"mystery"}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 .
\par 
\par Nevertheless he pleaded guilty and his record of previous convictions suggests that he is not unfamiliar with court procedures or the particular charge which had been laid against him.}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421  }{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 The appeal against conviction is accordingly dismissed.
\par 
\par As for sentence, however, there can be no denying that the appellant's sentence is manifestly disparate from his 3 co-accused being }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 3 times longer}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 .}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421  }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
Needless to say all 3 co-accused had previous convictions so they were equal on that score.}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421  }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
As for their different "roles" in the commission of the offence this is far from satisfactorily explained in the facts outlined by the prosecution.
\par 
\par I note also that all the stolen goods have been recovered and returned to its rightful owner.
\par 
\par In all the circumstances the appellant's sentence cannot be allowed to remain unaltered and is accordingly reduced to }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 6 months imprisonment}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421  with effect from the }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 17th of October, 1990.}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 

\par 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\tqc\tx3969\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10640421 {\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 (D.V. Fatiaki)
\par }{\b\f0\ul\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 JUDGE
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10640421 {\b\f0\ul\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
\par }{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 At Suva,
\par 30th January, 1991}{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10640421 .}{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5058563\charrsid10640421 
\par }}