R v Mokhumbu (CRI/T 5 of 89) [1990] LSCA 46 (12 February 1990)

IN THE HIGH C O U RT OF LESOTHO C R I / T / 5 / 89 In t he Matter of : R E X v LESENYA MOKHUBU J U D G M E NT Delivered by t he H o n. M r. Justice B. K, Molai on t he 12th day of February, 1 9 9 0. Held at B u t h a - B u t he The accused w ho is about 18 y e a rs o ld stands b e f o re this court on a c h a r ge of m u r d e r, it being alleged t h at on or about t he 27th A p r i l, 1 9 88 and at or near M a t l a m e ng in t he district of Leribe he unlawfully a nd intentionally killed Lesenyeho M a q a l i k a. When t he c h a r ge w as put to h i m, t he accused pleaded guilty to Culpable Homicide,, T he Crown accepted t he plea tendered by t he accused p e r s o n. Section 2 4 0 ( 1 ) ( a) of Criminal Procedure and Evidence A c t, 1981 p r o v i d e s: " 2 40 (1) If a person charged with a n y ; o f f e n ce b e f o re a ny c o u rt p l e a ds guilty to t h at o f f e n ce or to an o f f e n ce of which he m i g ht be found guilty on that c h a r g e, and t he prosecutor accepts t h at plea t he court may (a) if it is t he High C o u r t, and t he p e r s on h as pleaded guilty to a ny o f f e n ce o t h er than m u r d e r, bring in a verdict w i t h o ut hearing any e v i d e n c e :" (my u n d e r l i n i n g) 2/ I stress t he -2- I s t r e ss t he w o rd " m a y" in t he a b o ve c i t ed s e c t i on to i n d i c a te t he view t h at w h e re t he a c c u s ed p e r s on p l e a ds g u i l ty to a ny o f f e n ce o t h er t h an m u r d er b e f o re t he H i gh C o u rt a nd t he p l ea is a c c e p t ed by t he c r o wn c o u n s e l, t he c o u rt is n ot b o u nd to r e t u rn a v e r d i ct of g u i l t y. It m e r e ly h as a d i s c r e t i on to r e t u rn t he v e r d i c t. O n ce t he a c c u s ed h as p l e a d e d, t he c o u rt is c e a s ed w i th t he m a t t er a nd it m a y, in an a p p r o p r i a te c a s e, say no to t he p l ea of g u i l ty t e n d e r ed by t he a c c u s ed a nd o r d er t h at e v i d e n ce be l e a d. In t he p r e s e nt c a se a P r e p a r a t o ry E x a m i n a t i on h as b e en h e l d. I h a ve r e ad t he r e c o rd of t he P r e p a r a t o ry E x a m i n a t i on p r o c e e d i n g s. M r. Q h o m a ne f or t he c r o wn h as a c c e p t ed t he p l ea of g u i l ty to c u l p a b le H o m i c i de t e n d e r ed by t he a c c u s ed w ho is r e p r e s e n t ed by a l a w y er in t h is c a s e. I h a ve no q u a r r el w i th t he p l e a. In t e r ms of t he p r o v i s i o ns of S . 2 40 ( 1 ) ( a) of t he C r i m i n al P r o c e d u re a nd E v i d e n ce A c t, 1 9 8 1, I am p r e p a r e d, t h e r e f o r e, to r e t u rn a v e r d i ct of g u i l ty of c u l p a b le H o m i c i de a nd c o n v i ct t he a c c u s ed on h is o wn p l e a. My t wo a s s e s s o rs e n t i r e ly a g r ee w i th t h is f i n d i ng S e n t e n ce : S e n t e n c ed to e i g ht ( 8) s t r o k e s, to be a d m i n i s t e r ed in p r i v a te by a m e m b er of t he P r i s on s t a f f. F or C r o wn : F or D e f e n ce : M r. Q h o m a ne M r. F o s a. 12th F e b r u a r y, 1 9 90 B . K. M O L AI J U D GE