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HAC0}{\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 024 OF 2003 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par }\pard \s15\qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 BETWEEN: \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par }\pard \s15\qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\b\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid941711 STATE \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par }\pard \s15\qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 AND: \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par }\pard \s15\qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\b\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid941711 MELI TIKOISUVA \par PAULIASI MATAI IMANUELI \par }\pard \s15\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par Counsel:}{\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3293264 }{\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 Mr. P. Bulamainaivalu/Ms K. Bavou \endash for the State \par Mr. G. O\rquote Driscoll for both Accused \par \par Hearing:}{\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3293264 }{\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 22nd November \endash 2nd December, 2004 \par Judgment:}{\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid3293264 }{\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 2nd December, 2004 \par \par }\pard \s15\qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\b\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid941711 JUDGMENT \par }\pard \s15\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid941711 \par }\pard \s15\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3293264 {\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 The accused were charged with manslaughter.}{ \f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 This requires the State to prove beyond reasonable doubt that there was an unlawful act and that the act caused the death of Mr. Shank ar.}{\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 As to that first test the evidence consisted of the accused statements to police of some blows and contradictory eye witness accounts in Court by eye witnesses.}{\f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \f0\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3293264 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par In particular the evidence of Mr. Kalougata who is Prosecution Witness No.7.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 You recall he was the accused\rquote s uncle.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 I prefer the evidence in Court of these eye witnesses rather than the accuseds statements to policemen.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 I find as a fact based on this evidence that Mr. Imanueli hit the deceased once on the chin and that Mr. Tikoisuva raided his pockets at about the same time.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 That is all the direct evidence can properly sustain.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 As for the post mortem report and evidence of Dr. Prashant I find him a reliable and careful witness in Court.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 I accept his testimony that many of the external injuries and some of the internal ones (some injuries to the brain and to the liver) can be explained by the collapse and fall of the deceased.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 The plain fact is that the police focused on the deceased\rquote s presented injuries and in my view leapt to the conclusion that these were all caused by the accused\rquote s assaults when they clearly were not.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 This had two effects. \par \par First it skewed the investigation and police interview into an enquiry about how many blows each accused might have put upon Mr. Shankar and it had a second effect.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 It clearly influenced the doctor\rquote s findings as the only history he was given before his post mortem examination was of a severe assault.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 This is reflected in his post mortem examination report.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par \par The State have proved there was an unlawful act; an assault accompanied with an intent to rob.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 However, the assault was on this best evidence from an eye witness one punch and some pocket raiding nothing more.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par \par I further find that the deceased had no obvious other injuries when he was face to face with Prosecution Witness 7 and thanked him for his intervention.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 This was moments before his fall. Accordingly, most if not all of the injuries subsequently found on the deceased were on this evidence most probably caused by Mr. Shankar\rquote s fall. }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par \par I find the two accused acting together committed an unlawful act of assault of intent to rob against Mr. Shankar.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 The State have accordingly proved the first limb for manslaughter.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 I am not satisfied on this evidence however that the State have proved the second limb; causation.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par \par The assault with intent to rob would have to be causative of Mr. Shankar\rquote s death.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 The evidence that we have; the one punch and the pocket raiding; would have to have caused Mr. Shankar\rquote s death beyond reasonable doubt.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 When expressed in this way the difficulties faced by the State in securing a conviction on the evidence in this trial in this Courtroom are thrown into sharp relief.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 Counsel relied primarily on the post mortem report to prove this causation. \par \par The State in my view are not assisted by the post mortem report. The doctor\rquote s original scant briefing that the injuries occurred as the result of an extreme assault compared with information that he was given in Court make for the real possibility that his conclusion is now unsustainable or of little relevant weight.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 He did not know at the time of the post mortem that there was one punch and pocket raiding only.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 He did not know at the time of the post mortem examination that this assault was followed by the clear evidence of an absence of injury by prosecution witness 7.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 That witness had rescued Mr. Shankar from the accused.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 Mr. Shankar was face to face with PW.7.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 Mr. Shankar thanked his rescuer and then Mr. Shankar travelled further down the road and only then fell to his knees and collapsed face forward into the gravel at the side of the road.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par \par Further, the doctor did not know at the time that it took at least 35 minutes before the deceased arrived in hospital.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 He also did not know that throughout the majority of that 35 minutes the deceased was struggling for breath and making choking sounds but no efforts were made to revive or assist him.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 That is not to say that a failure to render medical treatment is an excuse for the crime of manslaughter.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 It is however to say that the doctor, in my view, would have been assisted by knowing that dynamic at the time he conducted the post mortem.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par \par In addition the doctor could not explain the absence of external marks on the outside of the deceased\rquote s body on top of or near the injuries to the internal vital organs the lungs, the liver and the heart.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 If the accused had caused that injury where were the associated marks, external trauma.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 The doctor agreed that the brain damage except for the injury on top of the head is explicable by the dynamic of the fall and c ollapse.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 There was no evidence of the deceased receiving a blow to the top of the head.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 The doctor accepted that many of the other injuries may have been caused in the fall. \par \par Accordingly, the post mortem finding as to the cause of death in my view is now of questionable evidential value.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 In proving the second limb the State must convince me that the assault as described in the evidence caused the death.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 The post mortem report was prepared on an incorrect history of events.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 It did not explore the mechanism o f death from punch through an appearance of being normal before PW.7 to a 15m walk downhill to a fall and face forwards collapse.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 The post mortem report does not provide a causative link between the assault and death. In my view there are other possibilities.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 The mechanism of death may have started by a trip and a fall or the cause of death as I said in my summing up may be on this evidence a complete mystery.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par \par If that is the case then the State on the evidence available in this trial simply do not have sufficient material to prove that the accused}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 '}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 s unlawful act caused Mr. Shankar\rquote s death.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 Upon this evidence they cannot discharge the burden of proving beyond reasonable doubt that Mr. Tikoisuva and Mr. Imanueli by their assault to rob caused Mr. Shankar\rquote s death. \par \par Accordingly, in reliance on the summing up that I gave you and these brief extempore reasons that I note I am dictating immediately after hearing your opinion (and I reserve the right to correct or amend as required) I am driven to the conclusion th at the standard in this Court has not been reached.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 The State cannot discharge the burden to convince me of proof beyond reasonable doubt that the accuseds unlawful act caused the death of Mr. Shankar.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid941711 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 Accordingly, I enter an acquittal against the names of both accused on the information. \par \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid941711 Gerard Winter \par }{\b\fs24\ul\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid941711 JUDGE \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid941711 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid941711 At Suva \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3293264 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid941711 2nd December, 2004}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid15147459\charrsid3293264 \par }}