R v Seotlo (CRI/T 80 of 89) [1991] LSCA 62 (11 June 1991)
The accused is found guilty of culpable homicide on his own plea. The sentence must reflect the gravity of the offence, especially as the victim was a defenceless child, and the aggravating circumstances outweigh mitigation.
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [1991] LSCA 62
- Parties
- Prosecution: Rex; Accused: Lithunya Seotlo
- Court
- Court of Appeal
- Jurisdiction
- Lesotho
- Case Number
- CRI/T 80 of 89
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal / Judgment
- Outcome
- conviction and sentence
- Legal Topics
- Culpable Homicide, Sentencing, Mitigation
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Rex
Prosecution
Lithunya Seotlo
Accused
Procedural Posture
Criminal / Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the accused is guilty of culpable homicide
- 2 Appropriate sentence for culpable homicide
Ratio Decidendi
The accused is found guilty of culpable homicide on his own plea. The sentence must reflect the gravity of the offence, especially as the victim was a defenceless child, and the aggravating circumstances outweigh mitigation.
Court Disposition
conviction and sentence
Orders
- Accused acquitted on the second count.
- Accused found guilty of culpable homicide on the first count.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
C R I / T / 8 0 / 89 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 EX v L I T H U N YA S E O T LO J U D G M E NT H E LD AT B U T HA B U T HE 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 11th d ay of J u n e, 1991 I am i n f o r m ed by t he C r o wn t h at t h ey a re w i t h- d r a w i ng t he c h a r ge in t he 2nd c o u n t, and s i n ce of c o u r se y ou had p l e a d ed to t h at y ou a re e n t i t l ed to a v e r d i c t. T he C o u rt t h e r e f o re a c q u i ts y ou on t h at s e c o nd c o u n t. T he C o u rt f i n ds y ou g u i l ty on y o ur o wn p l ea of C u l p a b le H o m i c i de in t he 1st c o u n t. With d ue r e s p e ct to my a s s e s s o rs - t h ey p r o p o se a v e ry v e ry l e n i e nt s e n t e n ce - I d o n 't a g r ee w i th t h e m. I h a ve h e a rd w h at h as b e en s a id in m i t i g a t i on of t h is s e n t e n c e. H o w e v er m u ch and it w as a b ly a r g u ed f or y ou and an a t t e m pt w as m a de to p e r s u a de t h is C o u rt in y o ur f a v o u r. I am n ot t r y i ng to say t h at t he C o u rt h as n ot t a k en i n to a c c o u nt w h at h as b e en said by y o ur C o u n s e l. But I c a n n ot i g n o re t h at a d e f e n c e l e ss c h i ld w ho w as i n n o c e nt s u f f e r ed d e a th e v en w i th t he a c c o m p a n y i ng w o r ds w h i ch I am n ot g o i ng to h o ld a g a i n st y ou b e c a u se y ou d i d n 't go i n to t he b ox to e x p l a in t h e m. B ut w h at is u p p er m o st in my m i nd on all t h at h as b e en s a id and d o ne is t h at an i n n o c e nt c h il / of - 2- of t e n d er y e a rs of f i ve h as b e en m a de a v i c t im of a f a m i ly f e u d. A m e r it w as m a de and r i g h t ly so I s u p p o se of t he f a ct t h at y ou s p a r ed t he o t h er w i t n e s s es t he a g o ny of u n d e r g o i ng c r o s s - e x a m i n a t i on a nd e m p h a s is w as laid on t he f a ct t h at t h o se w i t n e s s es m i g ht h a p p en to be t he r e l a t i v es of t h is c h i l d. I d o n 't k n ow w ho c o u ld bo c l o s er as a r e l a t i ve to t h at c h i ld t h an h er m o t h er w ho c a me a nd g a ve e v i d e n ce h e r e. I d o n 't h o ld it a g a i n st y ou t h at s he w as c r o s s - e x a m i n ed b ut I h a ve s e en t he s t i ck t h at it is s a id w as u s ed to m o l e st t h at c h i ld - a t r ee in o t h er w o r ds s o m e t h i ng w h i ch m e a s u r es in l e n g th a p p r o x i m a t e ly t wo m e t e rs t he t h i n n er e nd of w h i ch is a b o ut t wo i n c h es d i a m e t e r, and t he t h i c k er end of w h i ch is a b o ut t h r ee and h a lf i n c h es d i a m e t e r. To me t h at t e n ds to a g g r a v a te t h is o f f e n ce i n s t e ad of m i t i g a t i ng i t. I h a ve t a k en into 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 r t. Y ou a re g o i ng to b e n e f it to s o me e x t e nt b e c a u se y ou a l t e r ed y o ur p l ea to t h at of g u i l ty to C u l p a b le H o m i c i d e. F or t h at t he c r e d it y ou g et is of a v a i l i ng y o u r s e lf of c o u n s el of p r u d e n c e. T he l e a st s e n t e n ce I c an i m p o se is t h at y ou s e r ve e i g ht y e a r s' i m p r i s o n m e nt t e rm in d e f a u lt of a f i ne of F o ur T h o u s a nd M a l o ti ( M 4 0 0 0 - 0 0) h a lf of w h i ch is g o i ng to be s u s p e n d ed f or t h r ee y e a rs on c o n d i t i on t h at d u r i ng t he p a s s a ge of s u ch p e r i od y ou a re n ot c o n v i c t ed of a c r i me i n v o l v i ng 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 F or C r o wn : M r. M o k h o bo F or D e f e n ce : M r. F o sa