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

The trial was fatally irregular and prejudicial to the applicant, a minor, as it was not conducted in accordance with the Children's Protection Act 1980, the charge was defective, the accused was not properly advised of his rights, and the sentence of imprisonment was unlawful. There was a miscarriage of justice.

Source-derived case information.

Citation: [1996] LSHC 83
Parties: Applicant: Sabilone Motsieloa; 1st Respondent: Director of Public Prosecutions; 2nd Respondent: Clerk of Court
Court: High Court
Jurisdiction: Lesotho
Case Number: CRI/APN 406 of 96
Procedural Posture: Criminal Review / Judgment
Outcome: Convictions and sentences set aside; accused acquitted.
Legal Topics: Rape, Abduction, Children's Rights, Procedural Irregularity, Sentencing
Source Language: en

Criminal Law Child Protection Law Rape Abduction Children's Rights Procedural Irregularity Sentencing

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Downloadable case file Legal principles 4 Authorities cited 6 Party arguments 2 Amounts and remedies 3

Parties

Sabilone Motsieloa

Applicant

Director of Public Prosecutions

1st Respondent

Clerk of Court

2nd Respondent

Procedural Posture

Criminal Review / Judgment

Legal Issues

1 Whether the trial and conviction of a minor was conducted in accordance with the Children's Protection Act 1980
2 Whether the charge was fatally defective and prejudicial to the accused
3 Whether the accused was properly advised of his rights and given fair opportunity for mitigation

Ratio Decidendi

Court Disposition

Convictions and sentences set aside; accused acquitted.

Orders

Convictions and sentences are set aside.
Applicant is acquitted.

Full Case Text

Judgment text and source record

1 paragraphs

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

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