The High Court allowed a criminal appeal, quashed convictions for unlawful possession and dealing in government trophy, and ordered the appellant’s release.
The prosecution failed to prove the offences of unlawful hunting, possession, and dealing in government trophy against the first, second, and third appellants beyond reasonable doubt; convictions based on retracted confessions without corroboration and on defective charges were unsafe; conviction under a repealed statute is a nullity; only the fourth appellant was proved to be in actual possession of government trophy and his conviction and sentence (with modification) were upheld.