Judge raises issue of mistakes in court

HIGH Court in Suva judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe says in nearly 80 per cent of cases in his court, prosecutors did not get it right when they filed information the first time.

He said there were always mistakes and amendments.

Justice Rajasinghe made this statement yesterday after the court was told that amended information provided by the State, in a case involving a husband and wife charged with representative counts of rape and defilement, alleged the offences took place between April 2021 and October this year.

Justice Rajasinghe told the State that according to the information provided by them, the alleged offences had not even occurred yet.

He told the State that the Director of Public Prosecutions had a huge responsibility and his signature on the information had a lot of power.

He told the court that even a single comma in the information could change and destroy a person and a family’s life.

The alleged victims, aged 12 and 16, were daughters of the couple’s house girl.

The matter was adjourned and called later in the day and the correct amended information was filed by the State.

The couple have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The husband was charged with a count each of rape and defilement of young persons between 13 and 16 years of age while the woman was also charged with a count each of rape and defilement of young persons between 13 and 16 years of age.

Both had their bail extended.

The matter will be called again on May 18.