R v Makoko (CRI/T 42 of 90) [1991] LSCA 61 (11 June 1991)
The accused was found guilty of culpable homicide on his own plea due to negligence in not placing the gun at safety, resulting in the death of the deceased.
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [1991] LSCA 61
- Parties
- Prosecution: Rex; Accused: Selemo Nkejane Makoko
- Court
- Court of Appeal
- Jurisdiction
- Lesotho
- Case Number
- CRI/T 42 of 90
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal / Judgment
- Outcome
- convicted and sentenced
- Legal Topics
- Culpable Homicide, Sentencing, Plea of Guilty
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Rex
Prosecution
Selemo Nkejane Makoko
Accused
Procedural Posture
Criminal / Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the accused is guilty of culpable homicide
- 2 Appropriate sentence for culpable homicide on a plea of guilty
Ratio Decidendi
The accused was found guilty of culpable homicide on his own plea due to negligence in not placing the gun at safety, resulting in the death of the deceased.
Court Disposition
convicted and sentenced
Orders
- Accused to pay One Thousand Maloti (M1000.00) or serve two years imprisonment.
- Half of the sentence is suspended for two years on condition that the accused is not convicted of a crime involving assault or violence to a person during the suspension period.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
C R I / T / 4 2 / 90 IN T HE H I GH C O U RT OF L E S O T HO In t he m a t t er of : R E X v S E L E MO N K E J A NE M A K O KO H E LD AT B U T HA B U T HE J U D G M E NT D e l i v e r ed by t he H o n. M r. J u s t i ce M . L. L e h o h la on t he 1 1 th d ay of J u n e, 1 9 91 T he C o u rt h as h e a rd an o u t l i ne of t he f a c ts w h i ch r e l a te to t he a c c i d e nt t h at o c c u r r ed as a r e s u lt of w h i ch t he d e c e a s ed d i e d. T he C o u rt t h e r e f o re f i n ds y ou g u i l ty of C u l p a b le H o m i c i de on y o ur o wn p l e a. T he f a c ts a re as a b ly p ut f o r w a rd by t he C r o wn C o u n s e l; n a m e l y, t h at on t he d ay in q u e s t i on y ou h ad s e en a n u m b er of b o ys n e ar a h i ll a nd t h at t he d e c e a s ed w as a m o ng t h e se b o y s, a nd t h at w h en y ou w e nt w h e re y ou h ad y ou p o l es y ou f o u nd t he p o l es m i s s i n g, a nd t h at t he f o l l o w i ng d ay w h en y ou t r i ed to t r a ce w h e re t h e se c o u ld h a ve b e en t a k en to y ou t r a c ed t h em to t h e se b o y s. It w as f u r t h er s a id t h at y ou w e re a c c o m p a n i ed by a f r i e nd in t he p r o c e ss of t r y i ng to f i nd y o ur p o l e s, a nd t h at y ou h ad s et o ut c a r r y i ng y o ur s h o t g un w h i ch is u s ed f or k i l l i ng b i r ds - y ou w e re a l so c a r r y i ng a p a ir of h a n d c u f f s. I am t o ld a ls t h at y o ur f r i e nd a s k ed y ou to s h o ot h im a b u c k. Y ou d u ly c o c k ed t he g un b ut f or s o me r e a s on or o t h er y ou d i d n 't / s h o o t. - 2 - s h o o t. N or did y ou a f t e r w a r ds p ut y o ur gun at s a f e t y. F u r t h er t h at w h i le t he d e c e a s e d, no d o u b t, u n d er a r r e st by y ou and y o ur f r i e nd w as in f r o nt of y ou w h en y ou t r i ed to f i d d le w i th t he gun a s h ot w as f i r ed and t he d e c e a s ed was t he v i c t i m. The C r o wn f or t h e se r e a s o ns p r o p e r l y, in my v i e w, a c c e p t ed y o ur p l ea of C u l p a b le H o m i c i de on t he b a s is t h at y ou w e re n e g l i g e nt in n ot h a v i ng p l a c ed y o ur g un at s a f e ty c a t c h. As I h a ve a l r e a dy s t a t ed y ou are f o u nd g u i l ty of C u l p a b le H o m i c i de on y o ur o wn p l e a. I h a ve j u st h e a rd t he p l ea in m i t i g a t i on e x p e r t ly b r o u g ht f o r w a rd by y o ur C o u n s el w ho s a id t h at y ou a re f o r ty t wo ( 4 2) y e a rs of a g e; and t h at y ou a re a f i r st o f f e n d e r. It h as b e en u r g ed t h at I s h o u ld pay d ue r e g a rd to t he f a ct t h at d e s p i te t he f a ct t h at y ou a re no l o n g er a y o u ng m an y ou h a ve had a c l e an l i f e, and t h at t he s h o o t i ng of t h is u n f o r t u n a te m an w as p u r e ly a c c i d e n t al as o u t l i n ed in t he e v i d e n c e, and t h at y ou a s s i s t ed t he p o l i ce in t he i n v e s t i g a t i on of t he c r i me by r e p o r t i ng y o u r s e lf and c o n t i n u i ng t he i n v e s t i g a t i on to its c o n c l u s i o n. I h a ve a l so b e en a s k ed to t a ke into a c c o u nt t h at t he law a c c o r d i ng to c u s t om w o u ld r e q u i re y ou to r a i se t he h e ad of t he d e c e a s e d. For all t h e se r e a s o ns w h i ch are e n t i r e ly a c c e p t a b le to me I h a ve a l so t a k en i n to a c c o u nt t he f a ct t h at y ou d i d n 't w a s te t he t i me of t h is C o u rt in t h at y ou p l e a d ed g u i l ty - and t h at i t s e lf is a s u re sign of r e m o r s e f u l n e s s. W e l l, it d o e s n 't s e em t h at y ou m a ke m u ch by w ay of i n c o me but y o ur b l a n k et s h o ws t h at it is q u i te e x p e n s i v e. T he s e n t e n ce t h en t h at I c an i m p o se on y ou a c c o u nt b e i ng t a k en of y o ur a n n u al i n c o me is t h at y ou w i ll p ay O ne T h o u s a nd M a l o ti ( M 1 0 0 0 . 0 0) or go to j a il f or t wo / y e a rs - 3 - y e a rs h a lf of t h is s e n t e n ce is s u s p e n d ed for t wo y e a rs on c o n d i t i on t h at f or t he d u r a t i on of t he p e r i od of t he s u s p e n s i on y ou a re not c o n v i c t ed of a c r i me i n v o l v i ng a s s a u lt or v i o l e n ce to a p e r s o n. J U D GE 11th J u n e, 1991 For C r o wn : M r. M o k h o bo For D e f e n ce : M i ss Tau