Wang’s appeal on money laundering case dismissed

he Fiji Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal of Suva businessman, Hannan Wang who was jailed for laundering $675,774.98.

Wang was charged and tried alongside two other accomplices, however, the magistrate had ruled that neither of the three businessmen was guilty of the offences of money laundering and acquitted them, including Wang.

On April 9, 2021, after the High Court in Suva convicted Wang of the charge and sent the case back to the Magistrates Court for sentencing. The learned Magistrate sentenced Wang to five years and 10 months of imprisonment with a non-parole period of four years.

Grounds of appeal

Wang, dissatisfied with the ruling, filed a notice of appeal seeking to have the High Court judgment of February 19, 2021, and the sentence imposed on April 9, 2021, to be set aside and to have the judgment of the learned Magistrate dated February 22, 2019, reinstated.

However, no grounds of appeal had been urged against the sentence.

Wang raised the question of law seeking a rehearing of the appeal before the High Court in the Court of Appeal.

Appeal’s Judge, Acting Resident Justice of Appeal Chandana

Prematilaka said the narrow jurisdiction under section 22 of the Court of Appeal

Act was for the Court of Appeal to rectify any error of law or clarify any ambiguity in the law and not to deal with any errors of fact or of mixed fact and law which was the function of the High Court.

“That is the intention of the legislature, and the court must give effect to that legislative intention,” he said.

“I conclude that there was no question of law alone among the grounds raised by Wang; nor in the written or oral submissions made at the hearing.

“Therefore, in view of the dismissal of the appeal, it is superfluous to consider the application for bail pending appeal, for when there is no pending appeal there is no question of bail pending appeal. Accordingly, application for bail pending appeal too is formally refused,” Acting Resident Justice Prematilaka said.

Read Wang Appeal Court judgment