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{\author Information Technology Unit}{\operator blake_r}{\creatim\yr2005\mo12\dy4\hr15\min39}{\revtim\yr2005\mo12\dy4\hr15\min39}{\version2}{\edmins1}{\nofpages2}{\nofwords499}{\nofchars2850}{\*\company Judicial Department}{\nofcharsws3343}{\vern16391}}
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\fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 IN THE HIGH COURT OF FIJI
\par AT SUVA
\par CRIMINAL JURISDICTION
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3556160 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3556160 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 CRIMINAL CASE NO: HAC}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160 0}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 027 OF 2003S
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3556160 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 STATE
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3556160 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 v.
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3556160 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3556160 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 AKASH ASHWIN
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3556160 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 
\par Mr. W. Kuruisaqila & Ms K. Bavou for State
\par Ms B. Malimali for Accused
\par 
\par Hearing:}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 4th October 2004
\par Sentence:}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 12th October 2004
\par 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3556160 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 SENTENCE
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3556160 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 
\par Akash Ashwin, you have been found guilty of manslaughter on the ground that you were provoked into killing your stepfather Anil Prasad by stabbing him through the chest on the 30th of July 2003.
\par 
\par The facts of this case are tragic.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 At the age of 12, the man y
ou considered to be your father left the house because of the infidelity of your mother.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 
According to your evidence, your mother committed such infidelity whilst you were in the house.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 
Thereafter, the deceased Anil Prasad showed you no love and affection, and your mother appears to have done nothing to help you to adjust to the change in family circumstances.
\par 
\par Your stepfather\rquote s dislike for you, his and your mother\rquote s neglect of your educational and emotional needs, and the lack of communication between you and the rest of your family, led you to become withdrawn, hostile and unstable.}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 It is clear from your evidence that you saw your stepfather as the cause of your unhappiness.}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 It is also clear that your stepfather, over the years manipulated the loss of items
 at home and caused the family to distrust you and believe you to be a thief.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 
There is no expert evidence before me as to the psychological effect of all these events on you, but in the light of all these circumstances, it is fair to assume that you are an angry and deeply disturbed young man.
\par 
\par The tariff for manslaughter in Fiji is between a suspended sentence, where the violence used is minimal and the provocation great and 10 or 12 years imprisonment for bad cases of manslaughter.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 I class this offence as one which falls in the middle of the range.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 Whilst the stab wound was inflicted with great force, with a dangerous weapon, the degree of provocation was also significant.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 I pick as my starting point 3 years imprisonment.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 
In your favour is your good character, (I disregard the absolute discharge for the threat on the deceased) and your difficult childhood and youth which have been outlined in mitigation by counsel.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 In particular I take into account the provocation on the morning of the offence and the insensitive conduct of the deceased and your mother.}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 I reduce the sentence to 1 year.
\par 
\par Aggravating features include the evidence of thought in the choice of weapon, the fact that the deceased was asleep at the time, the lapse of time before you stabbed the deceased and the use of a sharp knife to inflict the wound.}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 For these factors I increase the sentence by 3 years to 4 years imprisonment.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  
}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 I deduct one year for the year you have spent in custody and I sentence you to 3 years imprisonment.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 A 3 year term cannot be suspended under section 29 of the Penal Code.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 However, if the sentence I had arrived at could have been suspended in law, I would not have suspended it.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 Whilst hearing your evidence I was left with the impression that you blame your stepfather for all your problems and inadequacies.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 It is time to take responsibility for your own actions, and to accept that we are all accountable for what we do in this world.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3556160  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 In your case, a custodial sentence is a part of that accountability.
\par 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3556160 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 Nazhat Shameem
\par }{\b\fs24\ul\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 JUDGE
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3556160 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid1914966\charrsid3556160 
\par At Suva
\par 12th October 2004
\par }}