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\f36\fs24\lang1033\langfe5129\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp5129 {\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 IN THE HIGH COURT OF FIJI
\par At Suva
\par Appellate Jurisdiction
\par 
\par }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 Criminal Appeal No. 4 of 1991
\par 
\par Between:
\par 
\par }{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 LEDUA SERUVATU}{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid94350\charrsid94350 
\par }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 Appellant
\par 
\par v.
\par 
\par }{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 THE STATE}{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid94350\charrsid94350 
\par }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 Respondent
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid94350 {\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 
\par Appellant in Person
\par Mr. J. Prakash for the Respondent
\par }{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\tqc\tx3969\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid94350 {\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 JUDGMENT
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid94350 {\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 
\par The appellant was convicted on his guilty plea to an offence of }{\b\f0\ul\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 Defilement of a Girl Between the Age of 13 years and 16 years}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350  contrary to Section 156(1) (a) of the Penal Code.}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5836539  }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 
The particulars of offence averred that the complainant was aged }{\b\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 15 years 25 days}{\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350  }{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 on the date of the offence.
\par 
\par {\*\bkmkstart QuickMark}{\*\bkmkend QuickMark}In mitigation the appellant is recorded as having said}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5836539 :}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615  
\par 
\par }\pard \ql \li720\ri0\nowidctlpar\tx-1440\faauto\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid5836539 {\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5836539 "}{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 The girl came to me at home.}{
\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5836539  }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 I did not know of her age then.}{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5836539  }{
\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 She is a big girl.}{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5836539  }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 
It was through her elder sister this matter came to court.}{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5836539  }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 I ask for forgiveness and leniency.}{
\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5836539  }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 Complainant has had previous sexual relationship before me."
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid94350 {\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid13726036 
\par }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 In sentencing the appellant the learned trial magistrate correctly referred to }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 Section 156(3)}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615  of the }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 Penal Code}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 
 which laid down that consent is no defence to a charge of Defilement however in doing so the learned trial magist
rate appears to have ignored the unchallenged assertion of the appellant that he did not know the complainant's age and that she was a big girl which raises prima facie grounds for a defence to the charge under the }{
\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 proviso}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615  to }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 Section 156(1)(a)}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 .
\par 
\par Recently this Court has set aside the convictions of 2 appellants convicted of }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 Defilement}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 
 in which their pleas in mitigation raised a possible defence to the charge.}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid5836539  }{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 These were in }{
\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 Cr. App. Nos. 105 of 1990}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615  }{\f0\ul\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 
Rajen Kumar v. The State}{\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615  and upon the State's concession in }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 Cr. App. 15 of 1991}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615  in }{\f0\ul\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 Saimone Kete v. The State}{\f0\ul\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid262721 .}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 
\par 
\par In the present case under appeal the mitigation of the appellant which has been set out above also raises }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 prima facie}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615  evidence in support of the statutory defence contained in the above-mentioned }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 proviso}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 .
\par 
\par Learned State Counsel very correctly and fairly concedes that he is unable to support the appellant's conviction }{\i\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615 albeit}{
\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid3607615  that this is only an appeal against sentence.
\par 
\par In all the circumstances the appellant's conviction must be and is hereby quashed and mindful that he has already served 6 months of his prison sentence, I make no order for retrial.
\par 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\tqc\tx3969\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3607615 {\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 (D.V. Fatiaki)
\par }{\b\f0\ul\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 JUDGE
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid94350 {\b\f0\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid10882249\charrsid94350 
\par At Suva,
\par 30th January, 1991.
\par }}