Home | Databases | WorldLII | Search | Feedback Supreme Court of Vanuatu

Public Prosecutor v Rapi [2000] VUSC 63; Criminal Case No of 1999 (13 November 2000)

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF

THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU

LAKATORO / MALEKULA

(Criminal Jurisdiction)

Criminal Case No. of 1999

PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

-VS-

EDWARD RAPI

Coram: Before Justice Oliver A. Saksak

Miss Wendy Wanemay – Clerk

Inspector Wilson D. Garae for the Public Prosecutor

Defendant in person

SENTENCE

The defendant appears before me today charged with contempt of a court order. It is alleged that in or about May 1997 the defendant had breached the order of the Supreme Court by buying copra and selling the commodity in breach of the Order of the Court.

The defendant pleads guilty to the charge. He admits that he bought copra and sold it to assist his children. He says that he has since stopped the business.

In considering sentence I consider it important to impose a sentence that would be a deterrence to people not to just breach court orders as and when they feel like it. Courts and Court Orders must be respected at all times to ensure that the system works. For this reason the Court has to punish offenders sufficiently to deter others from doing the same and also to ensure that respect for the system is preserved and maintained at all times.

The appropriate sentence therefore is a fine of VT8,000. In default of payment the defendant will be imprisoned for 2 weeks.

The defendant undertakes to pay VT8,000 on or before Thursday 30^th November, 2000.

DATED at Lakatoro this 13^th day of November, 2000.

BY THE COURT

OLIVER A. SAKSAK

Judge