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Man jailed for $30 robbery, killing
07/07/2009
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A man who robbed the driver of a bread delivery van of $30 and threw a stone at his wife that later killed her, has been jailed for five years.
Setefanu Nausu,32, earlier pleaded guilty to manslaughter, larceny and robbery with violence.
On April 27, 2008, Nausu approached a bread delivery van parked at Colo-i-Suva and then robbed the driver, Kishore Kumar of $30 after assaulting him.
Nausu then threw a stone at the vehicle, which smashed through the window, hitting Sarojni Lata on her head.
Lata later died due to injuries sustained in the assault.
After this, Nausu stopped a taxi and robbed the driver.
In sentencing Justice Daniel Goundar said, the offences were committed in a state of intoxication, and while the accused was serving a suspended sentence for an offence involving the use of violence.
“I do not consider this case to fall in the category of the lower range of manslaughter.
“Nor do I consider the killing to be of its worst kind to attract a sentence on the high range. I assess your culpability by looking at your overall conduct.”
“You have been persistent in your criminal pursuit. You showed total disregard for the safety of your victims who were public service providers,” Justice Goundar said.
He added the mitigating factors are his early guilty plea, remorse and personal circumstances.
On count three (robbery), the mobile phone which he stole from the taxi driver was recovered and the complainant was not physically injured.
“You have spent one year and three months in remand. You are entitled to a reduction in your sentence to reflect the period you were in remand.”
Taking all these into account, Nausu was jailed for one year for larceny (count one), five years for manslaughter (court two) and two years for robbery with violence (count three).
The sentence is to be served concurrently.
Fijilive
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Posted Comments
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Posted
By: ss
Posted On:
Jul 08 2009 12:59:25
Comment:
5 years only for killing someone.
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Posted
By: P.Kaajal
Posted On:
Jul 08 2009 15:18:22
Comment:
If you kill someone, how can five years of sentence justify that? Can it bring back the dead, no! Fiji's laws should be looked into with intensity. What's the whole point of a justice system that is so lenient to offenders!
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Posted
By: nilesh
Posted On:
Jul 08 2009 09:59:07
Comment:
An eye for an eye, a life for a life. hang or shoot the killers.
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Posted
By: boe
Posted On:
Jul 08 2009 06:11:18
Comment:
I am glad that I am not the only one who would push for a harsher penalty and the fact that crimes are not committed at a discount, but sentencing is given a discount. In Singapore, offenders spitting on the street, or trashing are given a very harsh jail term. The crimes committed by this person is much worse.
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Posted
By: Malimali
Posted On:
Jul 08 2009 04:06:54
Comment:
Peanut jail term, what a black joke.
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Posted
By: Ritesh
Posted On:
Jul 07 2009 14:49:28
Comment:
The criminal must be very happy after killing a lady and getting only five years jail. This is not correct and our laws need to be reformed with a view to giving more harsh punishments to such offenders.
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Posted
By: ajayc
Posted On:
Jul 08 2009 04:40:33
Comment:
What a deal, no wonder crime is so high in Fiji. Five years for manslaughter .... if this was the USA, there would have a been a huge outcry by now. Is there any outcry about these ridiculous sentences from the public or they think robbery and murder is a way of life. Tougher sentences are needed.
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Posted
By: jone
Posted On:
Jul 07 2009 17:19:33
Comment:
State of intoxication should not be used as an excuse. We cannot let people with unstable minds walking our streets. I am always of the view that strict laws with heavy/tougher sentences will deter any would be offenders, even when they are in an intoxicated mode. Strict laws will always reduce drug/alcohol abuses.
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Posted
By: bt
Posted On:
Jul 07 2009 17:26:03
Comment:
I really can't understand this business of 'concurrent' sentences. The man should get a sentence for each of his crimes, and if anything the fact that there are extra crimes should attract a stronger punishment. Instead, he gets a discount for two out of his three crimes and the suspended sentence he was already on was NOT activated. Can someone explain to me what is the point of a suspended sentence if it will not be acted on? And if you commit one crime can you rely on getting two more free?
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