Moleko and Others v Director of Public Prosecutions (CRI/A/225.91; CRI/A/229/91; CRT/A/227/91) [1991] LSCA 114 (13 September 1991)

CRI/A/225.91 CRT/A/227/91 CRI/A/229/91 IN THE HIGH COURT OF LESOTHO In the matter between: PABALLO MOLEKO MANTSI KOU SIMON LEPELESANA TSELISO KUTLANE 1ST APPELLANT 2ND APPELLANT 3RD APPELLANT 4TH APPELLANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS RESPONDENT Before the Honourable Chief Justice Mr, Justice B. P. Cullinan on the 13th day of September, 1991. For Che Appellants: For the Respondent: Mr. T. Fosa, Chief Legal Aid Counsel Mr. N. Qhomane, Senior Crown Counsel JUDGMENT These three appeals (involving four appellants) from the Magistrates' Court in Thaba Tseka, Mokhotlong and Thaba Tseka respectively, have a number of things in common, so I have decided to deliver a composite judgment. The first appellant was convicted of stock theft and was sentenced to six y e a r s' imprisonment: he appeals against sentence. The second and third appellants were convicted on two counts of housebreaking with intent to steal and theft and were sentenced to five years' imprisonment on each count to be served concurrently. The fourth appellant was convicted of /... h o u s e b r e a k i ng with intent to steal and theft and was s e n t e n c ed to five y e a r s' i m p r i s o n m e n t. T he s e c o n d, third and f o u r th a p p e l l a n ts a p p e al against c o n v i c t i on and s e n t e n c e. -2- I take this o p p o r t u n i ty of s a y i ng that I am indebted to the learned C h i ef Legal Aid C o u n s el M r. Fosa who has brought these a p p e a ls b e f o re the C o u r t. I am a l so i n d e b t ed to the learned Crown C o u n s el M r. Q h o m a ne for his e n l i g h t e n ed approach in the m a t t e r. All but the first a p p e l l a nt p l e a d ed g u i l t y. The age of all the a p p e l l a n ts is stated to be " a b o ut 18 y e a r s ". That is a s t a t e m e nt of a p p r o x i m a t i on by the p u b l ic p r o s e c u t o r. It c l e a r ly i n d i c a t es some doubt in the m a t t er as to w h e t h er or not the a p p e l l a n ts w e re c h i l d r e n. The d u ty of e s t a b l i s h i ng that aspect lies u p on the M a g i s t r a t e, and not the p u b l ic p r o s e c u t o r. Mr, F o sa s u b m i t s, and Mr. Q h o m a ne very p r o p e r ly c o n c u r s, that the l e a r n ed trial M a g i s t r a t es s h o u ld have i m m e d i a t e ly b e en put upon e n q u i ry as to a g e: they should have conducted an e n q u i r y, to the extent of h e a r i ng e v i d e n c e, and if n e c e s s a ry of o r d e r i ng m e d i c al e x a m i n a t i on to d e t e r m i ne a g e; thereafter they should h a ve m a de a f i n d i ng in the m a t t e r. None of these things w e re d o n e. It is of c o u r se i m p o r t a nt to e s t a b l i sh the age of an accused in any p r o c e e d i n g s. W h e re the p o s s i b i l i ty of childhood is i n v o l v e d, the issue is d o u b ly i m p o r t a n t: w h e re i m p r i s o n m e nt -3- and i n d e ed a m i n i m um s e n t e n ce of f i ve y e a r s' i m p r i s o n m e nt is i n v o l v e d, t he i s s ue is c r i t i c a l. Y et the M a g i s t r a t es in t h e se c a s es s h o w ed no c o n c e rn w h a t e v er in t he m a t t e r. N e i t h er for t h at m a t t er do t he r e c o r ds i n d i c a te t h at t he M a g i s t r a t es i n f o r m ed t he r e l e v a nt a p p e l l a n ts of t he m i n i m um s e n t e n c es w h i ch they f a c e d, and of t he e f f e ct of t h e ir p l e as of g u i l t y. In a ny e v e n t, no d e t e r m i n a t i on as to a ge was made and the d o u bt as to the a p p e l l a n t s' a ge m u st n ow be r e s o l v ed in t h e ir f a v o ur and I a c c o r d i n g ly f i nd t h at all a p p e l l a n ts w e re c h i l d r e n. T h at b e i ng the c a s e, t he M a g i s t r a t es m a de no a t t e m pt to s e c u re t he a t t e n d a n ce of p a r e n ts or g u a r d i a n s. As I h a ve h e ld in the j u d g m e nt in a s i m i l ar c a s e, t he c a se of N k o ne & A n o r. v R C R I / A / 2 2 8 / 91 d e l i v e r ed t h is m o r n i n g, the p l e as of g u i l ty in r e s p e ct of the s e c o n d, t h i rd and f o u r th a p p e l l a n ts w e re t h en e q u i v o c al and the t r i a ls w e re n u l l i t i e s. T he a p p e a ls are a l l o w ed in r e s p e ct of t h o se a p p e l l a n ts t h e r e f o r e, and the f i n d i n gs of g u i l ty and p u n i s h m e n ts a re set a s i d e. As to r e - t r i a l, the s e c o nd and t h i rd a p p e l l a n ts s u f f e r ed i m p r i s o n m e n t, w h i ch was i n v a l i d, for 21 m o n t hs and the f o u r th a p p e l l a nt for 9 m o n t h s, e q u a t i ng to s e n t e n c es of i m p r i s o n m e nt of m o re t h an 2½ y e a rs and 1 y e ar r e s p e c t i v e l y, that i s, w i th r e m i s s i o n. T h e se a re not a p p r o p r i a te c a s es t h e r e f o re in w h i ch to o r d er a r e - t r i a l. As to the f i r st a p p e l l a n t, he p l e a d ed n ot g u i l t y. W h i le t he /... -4- direct e v i d e n ce against him was that of an a c c o m p l i c e, there was ample c i r c u m s t a n t i al c o r r o b o r a t i ve e v i d e n ce and I confirm the finding of guilty. The a p p e al against s e n t e n ce is allowed however and the sentence in the Court below is set aside. It may well be that at the time an a p p r o p r i a te punishment was an A p p r o v ed School Order. It is no longer a p p l i c a b le h o w e v e r, as no doubt the appellant is now o v er 18 y e a rs of a g e, T he a p p e l l a nt suffered nine m o n t h s' i m p r i s o n m e n t, representing a s e n t e n ce of more than one y e a r 's i m p r i s o n m e n t, that i s, w i th r e m i s s i o n. Under the c i r c u m s t a n c es I do not propose to impose further p u n i s h m e nt and I s u b s t i t u te a d i s c h a r ge with a caution under the p r o v i s i o ns of s e c t i on 319 of the Criminal Procedure & E v i d e n ce A c t, 1981. Delivered at Maseru this 13th day of S e p t e m b e r, 1991. B . P. C U L L I N AN CHIEF J U S T I CE