Motsieloa v Director of Public Prosecutions and Another (CRI/APN 406 of 96) [1996] LSHC 83 (30 August 1996)

C R I / A P N / 4 0 6 / 9 6" IN THE H I GH C O U RT OF L E S O T HO In the m a t t er b e t w e e n: S A B I L O NE M O T S I E L OA A p p l i c a nt and T HE D I R E C T OR OF P U B L IC P R O S E C U T I O NS T HE C L E RK OF C O U RT 1st R e s p o n d e nt 2nd R e s p o n d e nt R E A S O NS FOR J U D G M E NT D e l i v e r ed by t he H o n o u r a b le M r. J u s t i ce M . M. R a m o d i b e di on the 30th day of A u g u s t, 1 9 9 6. This is an a p p l i c a t i on f or r e v i ew of c e r t a in c a se N o. C R. 2 8 2 / 96 of M a s e ru M a g i s t r a t e 's C o u r t. T he a p p l i c a t i on is m a de on N o t i ce of M o t i on with p r a y e rs c o u c h ed in the f o l l o w i ng t e r m s :- (a) O r d e r i ng t he S e c o nd R e s p o n d e nt to d i s p a t ch t he r e c o rd of t he p r o c e e d i n gs w i t h in F o u r t e en ( 1 4) d a ys of r e c e i v i ng t h is a p p l i c a t i o n; (b) R e v i e w i ng and s e t t i ng a s i de t he d e c i s i on of t he L e a r n ed M a g i s t r a te as it c o n t r a v e n es t he C h i l d r e n 's P r o t e c t i on A ct 1 9 8 0; (c) G r a n t i ng A p p l i c a nt f u r t h er a n d / or a l t e r- n a t i ve r e l i e f. On t he 19th A u g u st 1996 I r e v i e w e d, c o r r e c t ed and set 2 / . .. - 2- a s i de t he d e c i s i on of t he l e a r n ed t r i al M a g i s t r a te in t he m a t t er and i n t i m a t ed t h at r e a s o ns w o u ld f o l o w. T h e se a re t he r e a s o n s. T he a c c u s ed a p p e a r ed b e f o re a S u b o r d i n a te C o u rt of t he F i r st C l a ss f or M a s e ru d i s t r i ct c h a r g ed w i th t he c r i me of r a pe "or a l t e r n a t i v e ly a b d u c t i o n ." I d e em it c o n v e n i e nt to r e p r o d u ce t he w h o le c h a r ge h e r e in to h i g h l i g ht s o me of t he i r r e g u l a r i t i es t h at a re a p p a r e nt in t he said p r o c e e d i n gs b e f o re t he l e a r n ed t r i al M a g i s t r a t e. It r e a d s :- " T h at t he s a id a c c u s ed is c h a r g ed w i th t he c r i me of R a p e. In t h at u p on or a b o ut t he 2 8 th d ay of J a n u a r y, 1 9 9 6, and at or n e ar L i k o l o b e ng in t he M a s e ru d i s t r i c t, t he s a id a c c u s ed did u n l a w f u l ly and i n t e n t i o n a l ly h a ve s e x u al i n t e r c o u r se w i th ' M a l e b e t ha N o n y a n a, a M o s o t ho f e m a le w ho w as at t h at t i me a g ed 14 y e a rs and i n c a p a b le in law of c o n s e n t i ng to s e x u al i n t e r- c o u r s e, and d id t h e r e by c o m m it t he c r i me of R a p e. OR a l t e r n a t i v e ly A b d u c t i o n. In t h at u p on or a b o ut t he 2 8 th d ay of J a n u a r y, 1 9 9 6, and at or n e ar L i k o l o b e ng in t he M a s e ru district, t he s a id a c c u s ed d id u n l a w f u l ly and i n t e n t i o n a l ly t a ke and a b d u ct ' M a l e b e t ha N o n y a n a, a m i n or f e m a l e, o ut of t he c o n t r ol and a g a i n st t he w i ll of M o k e te N o n y a n a, h er f a t h e r, and ' M a l e s o ma N o n y a n a, h er m o t h e r, h er l a w f ul g u a r d i a n s, w i th t he i n t e n t i on of m a r r y i ng or h a v i ng s e x u al i n t e r c o u r se w i th t he s a id ' M a l e b e t ha N o n y a n a ." 2 / . .. - 3- N ow t he i m p r e s s i on c r e a t ed in t he m a in c h a r ge t h at a f e m a le a g ed 14 y e a rs is " i n c a p a b le in law of c o n s e n t i ng to s e x u al i n t e r c o u r s e" is c o m p l e t e ly u n t e n a b le in l a w. T he l a w, as I c o n c e i ve it to b e. is t h at at c o m m on law a g i rl o v er t he a ge of 12 y e a rs is d e e m ed c a p a b le of c o n s e n t i ng to s e x u al i n t e r c o u r s e. S ee H u nt M i l t o n: S o u th A f r i c an C r i m i n al L aw a nd P r o c e d u re R e v i s ed E d i t i on V o l. II at p 4 5 2. P e r h a ps t he P u b l ic P r o s e c u t or and t he l e a r n ed t r i al M a g i s t r a te had in m i nd w h at is k n o wn as s t a t u t o ry r a pe u n d er W o m en and G i r l s' P r o t e c t i on P r o c l a m a t i on N o . 14 of 1 9 49 in t e r ms of w h i ch c o n s e nt is i m m a t e r i a l. W h a t e v er t he c a se m ay be h o w e v er I am s a t i s f i ed t h at t he c h a r ge as it s t o od w as f a t a l ly d e f e c t i ve a nd p r e j u d i c i al to t he a c c u s e d. It is i m p o r t a nt t h at p u b l ic p r o s e c u t o rs d e c i de b e f o r e h a nd w h e t h er to p r o c e ed in t e r ms of t he c o m m on law or in t e r ms of t he S t a t u t e. In t u rn t he c h a r ge m u st m a ke it c l e ar to an a c c u s ed p e r s on w h at o f f e n ce it is i n t e n d ed to a l l e g e. T h is c o u rt d i s a p p r o v es of t he h y b r id t y pe of c h a r ge t h at w as p r e f e r r ed in t h is c a s e. T he a c c u s e d 's a ge r e f l e c t ed in t he c h a r ge s h e et is 16 y e a r s. I a g r ee w i th M r. M a t o o a ne f or t he A p p l i c a nt t h at t h is o u g ht to h a ve p ut t he p r e s i d i ng M a g i s t r a te on i n q u i ry as to t he c o r r e ct a ge of t he a c c u s e d. Y e t, s u r p r i s i n g ly t h is w as not d o n e. N or d id t he l e a r n ed t r i al M a g i s t r a te e s t i m a te t he a c c u s e d 's a ge in t e r ms of s e c t i on 3 40 of t he C r i m i n al Procedure and E v i d e n ce A ct 1 9 8 1. S ee M a t i a se S e s e ne v M o h a l e 's H o ek M a g i s t r a t e 's C o u rt a nd T he A t t o r n e y - G e n e r al CRI/Rev/169/89 (unreported) 4 / . .. - 4- in w h i ch C u l l i n an C . J. had t h is to s a y: " t h e re is s u f f i c i e nt on t he r e c o rd to i n d i c a te t h at t he a c c u s ed a p p a r e n t ly g a ve t he a p p e a r a n ce of y o u th in t he c o u rt b e l o w. T h at w as s u f f i c i e nt to p ut t he m a g i s t r a te on e n q u i r y. O n ce an a c c u s ed a p p e a rs to t he c o u rt to be a c h i l d , t h en t he c o u rt is o b l i g ed to c o n d u ct an e n q u i ry as to t he a c c u s e d 's a ge and to m a ke a d e t e r m i n a t i on in t he m a t t e r. T he l e a r n ed t r i al M a g i s t r a te in t h is c a se h as t he b e st of e v i d e n ce a v a i l a b le to h i m, t h at of a p a r e n t, y et he n e v er a s c e r t a i n ed t he a c c u s e d 's a g e. W h e re a p a r e nt is n ot a v a i l a b l e, or he is u n c e r t a in as to a g e, m e d i c al e x a m i n a t i on as to a ge c an a l w a ys be o r d e r e d. A ny r e s u l t i ng d o u bt as to t he e x a ct a ge of an a c c u s e d, p a r t i c u l a r ly w h e re t he q u e s t i on of i m p r i s o n m e nt a r i s e s, m u st o b v i o u s ly be b e n e f i c i a l ly r e s o l v e d, in f a v o ur of t he a c c u s e d ." I r e s p e c t f u l ly a g r e e. F o r t u n a t e ly I h a ve b e f o re me an a f f i d a v it of t he a p p l i c a n t 's m o t h er w h i ch c o n f i r ms t h at he w as o n ly 16 y e a rs o l d. I f i nd it t o t a l ly i n e x c u s a b le t h at e v en t h o u gh t he a ge of t he a p p l i c a nt w as r e c o r d ed as 16 y e a rs in t he c h a r ge c h e et y et t h is w as of no c o n s e q u e n ce at all as t he p r o c e e d i n gs b e f o re t he l e a r n ed t r i al M a g i s t r a te s h o w. T he l a t t er did n ot s it as a C h i l d r e n 's C o u rt in t e r ms of t he C h i l d r e n 's Protection A ct N o .6 of 1 9 8 0. I o b s e r ve t h at he c o u ld o n ly h a ve s at as a C h i l d r e n 's C o u rt if t he D i r e c t or of P u b l ic P r o s e c u t i o ns had d i r e c t ed so in t e r ms of S e c t i on 5 ( 2) of t he C h i l d r e n 's P r o t e c- t i on A ct 1 9 8 0. T h e re w as no s u ch d i r e c t i ve by t he D i r e c t or of P u b l ic P r o s e c u t i o n s. 5 / . .. - 5- T h en t he r e c o rd s h o ws t h at t h is y o u ng a p p l i c a nt w ho w as u n r e p r e s e n t ed at t he t r i al a nd w as a p p a r e n t ly n ot e v en a d v i s ed as to h is r i g h ts to l e g al r e p r e s e n t a t i on c o n d u c t ed his o wn d e f e n ce a nd w as e x p e c t ed to c r o ss e x a m i ne c r o wn w i t n e s s es e f f e c t i v e l y. At t he e nd of t he d ay he w as f o u nd "guilty as c h a r g e d" on b o th " c o u n t s" a nd w as s e n t e n c ed as f o l l o w s: C o u nt I : F o ur ( 4) y e a rs i m p r i s o n m e nt w i t h o ut t he o p t i on of f i n e. C o u nt II : S ix ( 6) m o n t hs i m p r i s o n m e nt or M 6 0 0 . 00 f i n e. T he s e n t e n c es w e re o r d e r ed to run c o n c u r r e n t l y. In my j u d g m e nt it c a n n ot be r i g ht in law t h at a p e r s on w ho is c h a r g ed in t he a l t e r n a t i ve m ay be f o u nd g u i l ty on b o th a l t e r n a t i ve c h a r g es at t he s a me t i m e. T h is is an i r r e g u l a r i ty so g r o ss as to be a t r a v e r s i ty of j u s t i ce c a l c u l a t ed to p r e j u d i ce t he a c c u s e d. C o n s e q u e n t ly I c o n s i d er t h at t h e re h as b e en a m i s c a r r i a ge of j u s t i ce in t h is m a t t e r. In m i t i g a t i on of s e n t e n ce t he a p p l i c a nt is r e c o r d ed as h a v i ng u t t e r ed o n ly o ne s e n t e n ce n a m e ly "I a sk to be p a r d o n e d ." N ow t h is C o u rt h as r e p e a t e d ly w a r n ed p r e s i d i ng o f f i c e rs n ot to p l ay a p a s s i ve r o le at t he s t a ge of m i t i g a t i on of s e n t e n ce b ut to a c t i v e ly h e lp c a n v a ss p e r s o n al c i r c u m s t a n c es of u n r e p r e s e n t ed a c c u s ed p e r s o ns w i th a v i ew to passing a p r o p er b a l a n c ed s e n t e n c e. It is s h o c k i ng to s ee t h at t h is 6/... - 6- warning has gone unheeded to the d e t r i m e nt of the p r o p er a d m i n i s t r a t i on of j u s t i c e. See M o e k e t si Mots'oari v Rex C R I / A / 2 2 / 84 in which the H o n o u r a b le Acting M r. Justice J. L. Kheola (as he then w a s) made the following r e m a r k s: "There is no doubt that many m a g i s t r a t es fail to m a ke any i n v e s t i g a t i on into the personal c i r c u m s- t a n c es of the accused b e f o re p a s s i ng s e n t e n c e. The p r e s e nt case is a typical e x a m p le of t h a t. A f t er the v e r d i ct was p r o n o u n c ed the p r o s e c u t or informed the Court that the accused had no p r e v i o us c o n v i c t i o n s. The record r e a d s: "In m i t i g a t i o n: Pray for c l e m e n c y ." S e n t e n c e: Three y e a r s' i m p r i s o n m e n t ." C l e a r ly the trial court m a de no inquiry about the personal c i r c u m s t a n c es of the a p p e l l a nt b e c a u se if it had d o ne so the record would reveal t h a t. The p r o p er p r o c e d u re is that w h e re an accused p e r s on is not r e p r e s e n t ed by a legal p r a c t i t i o n er the Court m u st m a ke the i n v e s t i g a t i on by p u t t i ng q u e s t i o ns to the accused in o r d er to find out why he c o m m i t t ed the o f f e n ce and then c o n s i d er an a p p r o p r i a te s e n t e n ce for him in the c i r c u m s t a n c e s ." With r e s p e ct I e n t i r e ly a g r e e. To crown it all the learned trial M a g i s t r a te sentenced the a p p l i c a nt to a term of imprisonment "without an o p t i on of a f i n e" as aforesaid in total disregard to section 26 (1) of the C h i l d r e n 's P r o t e c t i on Act 1980 which crisply p r o v i d es t h a t: "No child shall be punished by i m p r i s o n m e n t ." 7 / . .. - 7- T he t r a g e d y, as I s ee i t, is t h at m a ny M a g i s t r a t es do n ot f a m i l i a r i se t h e m s e l v es w i th t he C h i l d r e n 's P r o t e c t i on A ct w i th s h o c k i ng r e s u l ts as s h o wn a b o v e. O ne b e g i ns to w o n d er h ow m a ny c h i l d r en a re l a n g u i s h i ng in p r i s o ns t h r o u g h o ut L e s o t ho a m o n g st h a r d e n ed c r i m i n a ls in c o n t r a v e n- t i on of t he l e t t er a nd s p i r it of t he A c t. In a ll t he c i r c u m s t a n c es of t he c a se I am s a t i s f i ed t h at t h e re w as a m i s c a r r i a ge of j u s t i ce a nd t h at t he a p p l i c a nt w as t h e r e by p r e j u d i c e d. I h ad t h o u g ht of a r e t r i al b ut it s e e ms to me t h at t he a p p l i c a nt w ho h as a c t u a l ly s p e nt f o ur ( 4) m o n t hs a l r e a dy in p r i s on at h is a ge a nd a m o n g st h a r d e n ed c r i m i n a ls h as s u f f e r ed e n o u gh p u n i s h m e nt f or w h at a p p e a rs to be no m o re t h an a b d u c t i on f or it s e e ms to me t h at t he e v i d e n ce on r e c o rd c l e a r ly s h o ws t h at t he a p p l i c a nt t o ok a w ay t he c o m p l a i n a nt w i th t he i n t e n t i on to m a r ry h er as o p p o s ed to s i m p ly r a v i s h i ng h er by w ay of r a p e. He a c t u a l ly t o ok her to his h o me w h e re s he s p e nt t he w h o le n i g ht in t he p r e s e n ce of h is m o t h e r. I a t t a ch d ue w e i g ht to t he a p p l i c a n t 's c r o ss e x a m i n a t i on of t he c o m p l a i n a n t 's m o t h er ' M a l e b o na N o n y a na ( P W 3) to t he f o l l o w i ng e f f e c t: " Q: W h at q u e s t i on d id I a sk y o u? A: Q: N o n e. D id I n ot a sk y ou w h e t h er y ou w e re n ot a s k i ng f or c a t t le ( b o h a l i )? A: Y ou d id n o t ." T he a p p l i c a nt p e r s i s t ed w i th t h is q u e s t i on in h is c r o ss e x a m i n a t i on of p o l i c e m an T h a k a so w h om he a s k e d :- 8 / . .. - 8- " Q: What did PW3 say A: She said she did not want y o ur c a t t l e ." In the c i r c u m s t a n c es I h a ve c o me to t he c o n c l u s i on t h at a retrial would not be p r o p e r. In t he result t he c o n v i c t i o ns and s e n t e n c es are set aside and the accused is a c q u i t t e d. M . M. R A M O D I B E DI A c t i ng J u d ge For A p p l i c a nt For R e s p o n d e nt : : M r. M a t o o a ne No a p p e a r a n ce