PacLII Home | Databases | WorldLII | Search | Feedback

High Court of Solomon Islands

You are here:  PacLII >> Databases >> High Court of Solomon Islands >> 1999 >> [1999] SBHC 28

Database Search | Name Search | Recent Decisions | Noteup | LawCite | Help

Regina v Orinasikwa [1999] SBHC 28; HC-CRC 018 of 1998 (24 March 1999)

HIGH COURT OF SOLOMON ISLANDS

Criminal Case No. 18 of 1998

R

v

ELLISON ORINASIKWA

High Court of Solomon Islands
Before: Muria, CJ.
Criminal Case No. 18 of 1998

Hearing: 25 January 1999
Judgment: 24 March 19pan>

R B. Talasasa for Crown
D. Hou for Accused
(MURIA, CJ): The accused has been charged with the crime of murder contrary to section 193 (now section 200) of the Penal Code. He pleaded Not Guilty to the charge and as it is the case, in all criminal trials, it is for the prosecution to establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

It is not in issue that the accused did, in fact, kill the deceased byed by shooting him with arrows as well cutting him with a bush knife. The defence raised is that of provocation and it is for the prosecution to exclude that defence beyond any reasonable doubt. What is in question, therefore, is, did the accused kill the deceased under provocation? The prosecution contends that the evidence does not support the defence of provocation in this case and that it has been excluded by the prosecution beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Issues

It is clear that the accuset the deceased with arrows, three of which landed on d on the deceased's body. The accused also cut the deceased on the hand, leg, back and neck. The issues arising, therefore, are:

1&nbsp &nbssp; < Has the prosecutionedroved beyond a reasonablet the requisite specific

& intent to murder the deceased, Jimmy Geniamoe?

lass=ormalle="m-left0pt; margin-top: 1;p: 1; marg margin-boin-bottom:ttom: 1">& 1">

2man">. Is there any evidence of provocation before the Court?

3. n lpag="Eng="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: Times New Roman"> Has the prosecution excluded beyond a reasonable the defence of

&nbbsp;& sp; provocation in this case?

The Facts not in Dispute. On the evidence before the Court, I find the following facts not disputed:

1. On the night of 6 October 1997, the deceased (Jimmy Geniamoe) attacked  p;&nbbsp;& and brutally cut one Meke to de/span

2. &nn"> & < Meke was buried on the morning of 8 October 1997 ika Ve.

3. In the course of Meke's burial, a thning was by those &nbbsp;& &nsp; sp; < present at the burial.

4. span lang="Eng="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: Times New Roman"> The accused was present at the burial of Meke who was his uncle (In &nnbsp; c

5. Having heard the shout. The accused went, while the burial was still in &nnsp;&&nsp;;&nspp;&nssp; sp; &nbssp;&nnbsp; sp; process, to to his house and took his knife and bowd bow and and arrows. He went to  p; sp; where the shouting came from.

6. He recognised the shouting as being made b deceJimmyan> s Geniamoe.

7. /span The accused did in fact come upon the deceased, Jimmy Geniamoe, for he met him on the road where they fought.

8.
In the course of the fight, the deceaas unssful in striking the accused with his bush knife. The deceased turned and ran away. The &nbs> &nbp; &nnbsp;;&nbp; &nsp; &nnbp;& p; &bsp; &nbs accused then shot his first arrow at the deceaThe alande ;&nbssp;&n penetrated ihe ded's back. While still running away, the accused &nbbsp;&nbp; &nsp;&nbs; shot his second arrow which again landed and penetrated into the deceased's back. Agai accused shot at the deceased with his third ;&nbssp;&nbs;&nbs; p; arrow which struck into the deceased's leg. In an attempt to climb onto a span> stylnt-size-size: 12.: 12.0pt; font-family: Times New Roman">&nn"> & &bsp; ; &nb stone, the deceased fell, at which time, accuaughtith hd struck him with the bush knife cutting him on the hand, then on the leg, then &nbbsp;& sp; on his back and finally a vicious on one at the back of hik. Thpan> p; deceased died as a result of the injuries sustained.

Facts as Found by the Co/span>

In the main, the facts of this case are not disputethe defence. The accu accused likewise is mainly relying on the defence of provocation. But before I venture to consider the defence raised, I feel it is also worth noting some of the other facts which may not be as conclusively undisputed as those set out above.

The defence case is that it immy Geniamore (deceased) wed) who was heard shouting while the accused and his relatives were conducting the burial of Meke It would appear that the prosecution, although offering no evidence to show otherwise, was suggesting that accused did not see who was actually shouting and that he only assumed that it was Jimmy Geniamoe (deceased).

The evidence before the Court supports the defence position that it was the deceased who shouted. The accused recognised that it was the deceased who shouted and that he actually met the deceased when he went after him. The evidence from the other prosecution witnesses also supports that. On the evidence I find that it was the deceased, Jimmy Geniamoe who was shouting, while the people of Osika were grieving and burying Meke their dead relative, the late Meke

There is also the sligscrepancy in the number of wounds sustained by the dehe deceased on his body. The Medical Report showed that there were two(2) arrow (steel Rod) wounds found on the deceased's body. One was at his back and the other was at his right cuff muscles. The Report also mentioned our (4) knife wounds to the body of the deceased. These were found at the right elbow joint, right cuff muscles, right side of the face and left foot. Two (2) other wounds were found on the deceased's body and which were described by the doctor as probably axe wounds or tip of the knife wounds which were seemingly blunt. Altogether there were eight (8) wounds mentioned by the Doctor in his Report and from the description of the wounds given by the Doctor, they can only be described as vicious.

n contrast the evidence from the accused mentioned three aree arrow wounds and four knife wounds, a total of seven (7) wounds. There is no mention by the accused of the wound to the right side of the deceased's face. However, photograph "H" in Exhibit 3 clearly shows the severe wound to the right side of the deceased's face. The wound was confirmed by the Doctor.

ass="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> I find that on the evidence the deceased rec eight (8) wounds to his is body. They were caused by the accused through the use of arrows (steel rod arrows) and knife.

Proof of the requisite intent

lass="MsoNormal" style="mar="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1">

lass="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> The accused admitted that he caused the death of the deceased but he has pleaded not guilty, raising the defence of provocation. This being so, the prosecution must prove firstly, the necessary intent required in a charge of murder and -secondly, exclude the defence raised.

The specific intent to be proved in murder is that the killing musg must be done with malice aforethought. What constitutes malice aforethought is set out in section 202 (formerly s.195) of the Penal Code which provides:

"202. Malice aforethoughtbe expressed or implied andd and express malice shall be deemed to be established by evidence proving either of the following states of mind preceding or co-existing with the act or omission by which death is caused, and it may exist where that act is unpremeditated-

(a) an intention to cause the death of or grievous bodily harm to any ass="rmal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; margimargin-topn-top: 1; : 1; margin-bottom: 1"> & p;&nssp;&nsp; sp; person, whether such person is the person acy kilr not/span

(b) knowledge tha act whit which caused death will probably cause the

& p; &nsp; &nsp; death of, or grievous bodily harm to, some person whether such ass="rmal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-top: 1; : 1; margimargin-botn-bottom: 1">  p;&nssp; person is the person actually killed or not, although classNormayle="margin-left: 7ft: 72.0pt2.0pt; mar; margin-tgin-top: 1op: 1; margin-bottom: 1">  p;&nbbsp;&nsp; &nsp; knowledge is accompanied by indifference wr dea class="MsoNormal" style="mar="margin-lgin-left: 72.0pt; margin-top: 1; margin-boin-bottom:ttom: 1"> &nnsp;& sp; grievous bodily harm is caor no by a thatay noan> an"> n>

be c.&quopan><

p class="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> That section clearly sets out the mens rea to be proved. There are two states of mind must be established under the section, as was pointed out in R -v- Jimmy Viu (1994) CRC15 of 1993 (H.C) (Judgement given on 11 February 1994) which was upheld by the Court of Appeal in Jimmy Viu -v- R (1994) Cr. App, No. 7 of 1994 (Judgement given on 17 June 1994). This Court stated in that case that:

ass="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> "there are two states of mind either of which, if proved, would establish malice aforethought. The first of those states of mind is an intention to cause the death of or grievous bodily harm to a person. The second, is the knowledge that the act which causes the death will probably cause the death of or grievous bodily harm to a person whether such person is the person actually killed nor not."

The accused's state of mind must be established, of course, on the evidence before the Court and must be done so by the prosecution beyond a reasonable doubt. Such evidence would include what the witnesses, including, the accused, said happened at the time of the incident or immediately prior or after the incident, so far as is relevant. The nature of the injuries are also a very important factor in determining the state of mind of the accused and the Court will also bear this in mind in this case.

The evidence in the present case clearly shows, and accepted pted by the Court, that prior to the killing of the deceased on 8 October, 1997, the 'deceased had on 6 October 1997 cut to death the late Meke who was the accused's daddy according to custom. There appeared to be some acceptance by both the prosecution and defence that the deceased, Jimmy Geniamoe, also "killed" one Rex after he killed Meke. Whether Rex had, in fact, been killed by the deceased or not, is in my judgement, not to be the point. It is only relevant to the consideration of how much weight such a news would have on the mind of the accused in the light of the defence he now raised. Other than that, the incident, if any, between the deceased and Rex is of no importance to these proceedings.

The prosecution case, in the main, is centred on the evidence of the accused himself given both at the trial and contained in his Record of Interview which had been admitted as evidence with no objection from the defence I do not think I need to dwell at length on the Record of Interview which is a fairly short one. It is worth, however, noting some of the important features of the contents of that interview. In the course of the interview, the accused said in answer to Question 11:

"Early in the morning on Wednesday 8th Octh October 1997, I took my bow and arrows and my bush knife and I went with my people to go and dig a grave to bury the body of my father Meke Dutakwe who was murdered by a mental person known as Jimmy Amoe, on Monday night, 6th October 1997. I accompanied all my uncles namely John Morifaka, Aleamae Mason, Mason No. 2 Gwagae, Busui, Sale and everyone in our family. When we reached the burial site, we started to dig the hole When grave is ready we went and took Meke's body in order to bury it. When we put the body in the grave, a woman from Tangalo village who was present that time told us that the mental person, Amoe had cut another person in the night, and that person Rex Selwyn is going to die. This woman went on to say that the mental person promised to come and kill anyone at all in our village. The woman who told us this story is known. as Maefale. Upon hearing this story I got very angry and I got the idea to search for this person and kill him. So I do not tell anything, I took my bow and arrows with my bush knife and I took off. When I left, the body of my father is still not covered yet with ground. I got the idea I must follow the road that leads to Tangalo village and I thought I will met this man, Amoe there. When followed the road, I saw some fresh footprints on the road so I believed that Amoe’e must be somewhere around this area. So I began to spy for Amoe'e. While I was still on the way, I was surprised to see Amoe standing up and waiting for me. I saw him holding his bush knife ready to come and cut me. He also looked like a devil. I saw his two eyes and I was afraid so I wanted to hide from him under a tree but it was too late, so what else, I say my custom beliefs (chant) and saying 'I spoke' Father, are you still with me? At the same time I felt that my body is ready to fight because the spirit is already in me. Same time I saw Amoe’e ran towards me to cut me. At the same time he cut me I blocked and defended myself with my knife. When our knives met in the air, his knife slid away but he still held on to the knife. After that he turned around and ran away. I put my knife down and pulled my arrow with my bow and shot a first arrow. I saw the arrow which hit his back, then I held my knife along with my bow on my left hand and I ran after him. When I reached him in the mangroves I shoot him with the second arrow which also hit his back. I then shoot him with the third arrow which hit behind his leg I saw him trying to run onto a stone but he fell down and at the same time I reached the same place as well. I did not wait, I cut his hand with my knife, I saw him lying down on his left side on top of the stone, I then cut his left until it reached under his leg and I also cut his back then I thought I must put an end to him. So I gave a good cut behind his neck then I pulled out some arrows from his body then I left. I am certain that Amoe'e is not moving when I left. When I reached Osika I shout out, I said that I killed Amoe'e to payback the death of my father.

At the same time I saw Morifaason and Rusileta already iady in the village. That time I held two (2) bush knives and my bow and arrows with me. Then I heard Morifaka told me not to stay in the village but to wait for Police to come and take me so I did not escape but I wait until Police came and took me. The reason behind this is that because I loved Meke more than my real father from birth. Ever since I was small until today only Meke looked after me and traditionally Meke will hand over every power to me that is why I was very angry when he died and the thought of relationship to kill the person who killed my father is in my mind. That is my story."

All that were sa his Answers to Question 11 were agreed to, except in his evidence in Court, the accused appeared to deny shooting the deceased with his arrows when the deceased turned to run away. On the evidence, it must be obvious that the arrows landed on the back of the deceased which is consistent with his story recorded in the Record of Interview.

class="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> In his evidence on oath in Court, the accused basically repeated what he told the police in his Record of Interview. In cross-examination he said:

"Q. &nb < When you went to take youfe anows, you meant to go after

 p; &nnsp;&&nsp; p; Jimmy Amoe and kill him?

A. &nnbsp; s Yes, because of his shouting.

Q. &nbssp; / pan> < On the way did you t clear min bring back your mind?

Apan> ; sp No. My mind was all for me to go after Jimmy Amoe becaf wha &nnsp;&&nsp;;&nspp;&nssp; sp; did. clasoNormtyle=in-to margin-bottom: 1">

Q. &n sp; pa You told the people that you kill Jimmy because he killed Meke?

p class="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> A. &nbssp;&nnbsp; sp; True. That's what 1 told the people afteilledy.

Q.  p; / pan> Was it to pay back for the death of Meke?

1"> <

A. ; < That was not cle my mIn my, I f wouls Meke. He

& &nnsp;&&nbp;; p; cared for me. I was sad. So that's why I was cross and wanted to kill

&nnbsp;;&nspp;&nsp; &nsp; Amoe'e.

&nbssp;&n sp; pan> Did you plan to kill Jimmy from the time he kiMeke?n>

A. Yes.

pan lEN-GBle="font-size: 12.0pt; font font-fami-family: Tly: Times New Roman">

class="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> Q. ;&nbssp; Was there enough time for you to cool down before you reached  p; &nnsp;&&nsp; &nbp; J
>

A. &nnbsp; I was cross. Only cross was in my mind because he killed my daddy pan s"font: 12.0pt; font-fant-family:mily: Time Times New Roman"> n>

;&nbssp; &nsp; &nsp;  p; (Meke), and he shouted while we were preparing to bury my daddy and

&nbssp; &nsp; &nbbp;&n he also promised to kill anyone of us. All these too mor me < &n sp; So I took myons ant afim.&q/span lass=ormalle="m-top:a1; margin-rgin-bottobottom: 1"m: 1"> >

Based on the same evidence. as put before the Court, the prosecution submits that the accused intended to kill the deceased while the defence contends that the accused intended to kill the deceased, but he was provoked to do so.

lass="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> There is to, on the evidence before the Court, clearly established d beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused intended to kill the deceased. Nothing could be more clearer than his own affirmation of his intention to end the deceased's life when he said:

"I saw him lying down onleft side on top of the stoe stone, I then cut his leg until it reached under his leg and I also cut his back, then I thought I must put an end to him. So I gave a good cut behind his neck. I am certain that Amoe'e is not moving when I left."

The accused however raised the defence of provocatnd it is to that whic which I now turn.

The Defencerovocation.

The accused's case is clearly pivoted o defence of provocation. Thn. The accused clearly intended to kill the deceased but relied on the defence that his intention to do so arose from a sudden passion involving loss of self-control by reason of provocation.

In support of that proposition, Counsel for the defence relied on the cases of Lee Chun-Chuen -v- R [1963] 1 All E.R. 73; R -v- Martindale [1966] 1 WLR 1564; Perera -v- AG for Ceylon [1953] 2 WLR 238 and Parker -v-The Queen [1962 - 1963] III CLR 665. I have considered those cases and they all appear to take the view that an intention to kill does not necessarily negative the defence of provocation which may, nevertheless, arise, even where a person intends to kill or cause grievous bodily harm provided his intention to do so arises from sudden passion which gives rise to loss of self-control due to the provocation. Such a position appears to be in conflict with Viscount Simon's dictum in Homes -v- DPP [1964] A.C 588 where he said:

“... where the provocation inspires an actual intention to n to kill ... or to inflict grievous bodily harm, the doctrine that provocation may reduce murder to manslaughter seldom applies."

However, that dictum did not receive the approval of the Court in Lee Chun-Chuen -v- The Queen where Lord Devlin reaffirmed the law as stated by Lord Goddard in Perera -v- AG for Ceylon when he said:

class="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> The learned Law Lord then gave an illustration of a case involving a person finding his wife in the act of adultery and kills her. In such a situation, Lord Goddard pointed out:

"..... the law has always regarded that, although an intentional act, as amounting only to manslaughter by reason of the provocation received, although no doubt the accused person intended to cause death or grievous bodily harm”.

class="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> Thus the view taken by the Courts in such a situation is that if there were were some material upon which the Court acting reasonably could find a case for manslaughter it could not be said that it would have found murder It is for the prosecution to prove that the killing was not provoked.

Penal Code and Loumia v. DPP [1985 - 1986] SILR 158.

The test of provocation is an objectne and the position in Solo Solomon islands is that stated in Loumia -v- DPP applying the test as set out in DPP -v- Camplin [1978] UKHL 2; (1978) 67 Cr. App. R 14; [1978] A.C. 705 which stated:

p class="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> "The judge should state what the question is u is using the terms of the section. He should then explain to them the reasonable man referred to in the question is a person having the power of self-control to be expected of an ordinary person of the sex and age of the accused, but in other respects sharing such of the accused's characteristics as they think would effect the gravity of the provocation to him; and that the question is not merely whether such a person would in like. circumstances be provoked to lose his self-control but also would react to the provocation as the accused did."

ass="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> Applying that, the Court of Appeal stated in Loumia in respect ect of the appellant who is an ordinary East Kwaio pagan villager:

"Now the learned Acting Chief ce did not use this formularmulation. What is complained is that his Lordship failed in terms to direct the assessors that they should consider whether the provocation was enough to make a reasonable East Kwaio pagan villager do as the appellant did and that in determining that question they should take into account everything according to the effect it would have on a reasonable East Kwalo pagan villager. Now without in the slightest degree questioning the guidelines suggested by Lord Diplock, it may be noted that it is not expressed to be a formulation which must be adopted and on its face it is no more than a proper direction. Any other direction to the same effect will equally satisfy s. 198. His Lordship in this case did indeed state what the question was, using the terms of the section. He did not in so many words say that the reactions of the appellant should be assessed for the purposes of s. 198 in the light of his being an East Kwaio pagan villager but that fact was adverted to more than once. "

ass="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> The Court of Appeal undoubtedly held that the standard of self-control whichwhich the law requires before provocation can justify a verdict of manslaughter in a murder case is still that of a reasonable person having regard to the entire factual situation including, the characteristics of the accused. Equally the statute law also reaffirms this in section 205 of Penal Code where the words used are "the Court shall take into account everything…” which require the Court, in determining whether a reasonable person in the position of the accused would lose his self-control in the circumstances, to take into considerations, the whole factual situation including the characteristics of the accused.

p class="MsoNoMsoNormal" style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> It does not necessarily follow, however, when the defence of provocation is raised the Court should consider it. There must be some evidence pointing to the defence which entitled the Court to consider it. It does not shift the burden. The prosecution still bears the burden of proving that the killing is unprovoked. All that the defence needs to do is to point to some evidence which could raise a reasonable doubt in the mind of the Court: Lee Chun-Chuen -v- The Queen see also Ben Tofola – v - Reginam Crim. App. Cas. 2 of 1993 (CA).

The question fore is whether there is material before the Court ju justifying the Court to consider the contention raised by the defence. I have considered the evidence and I feel there are materials before the Court entitling it to give consideration to the defence of provocation raised in this case. There is the evidence both from the prosecution and defendant on the killing of Meke who was the accused's daddy and to whom the accused was personally very close. Then there was the news about the accused's cousin bother, Rex, also being "killed" by the deceased (Jimmy Geniamoe). The killing of his daddy who was so close to him must surely have bereaved him. While the accused and his relatives were still in the process of burying their dead relative, the late Meke, the deceased (Jimmy Geniamore) who brutally killed him (Meke) came to the vicinity of place where the accused and his people were preparing to bury the late Meke and gave threatening and provocative shouting which, not only was provocative but an insult in custom. Still in that emotional and bereaved state, the accused left the burial ceremony and went after the deceased whom he found and killed not long after he set out. These are factors which in my judgement are relevant to the issue of provocation raised in this case. They are factors which, together, are evidence of provocation operating upon the accused at the time in this case.

Has the prosecution proved that the provocation was insufficient to cause the accused to lose his self-control? The prosecution case is that the killing was an act of revenge, to pay-back the death of Meke and the "killing" of one Rex. The evidence supporting the prosecution contention would appear to come from the accused's Record of Interview as well as from his evidence in Court. I have already set them out earlier on in this judgement. On the evidence it is clear that the accused intended to kill the deceased. His own words and nature of the wounds inflicted clearly demonstrated that intention. If there was nothing else to be considered, I would have no hesitation in 'concluding that the killing of the deceased by the accused was an act to avenge the death of Meke and possibly of the "killing" of one Rex.

There was some suggestion that the killing was premeditated. I am not satisfitisfied that it was. I accept the contention that the intention to kill the deceased arose out of the threatening and insulting shouts by the deceased at the bereaving moment when the accused and his relatives were grieving and burying the body of the late Meke who was killed by the deceased (Jimmy Geniamoe) himself. There can be no doubt in my mind and in common sense bearing in mind the custom also of the people in East Kwaio, and for that matter, any other places in Solomon islands, that such a behaviour of the deceased was provocative. I find that the provocation arising out the events on that morning of 8 October 1997 by the deceased has not been sufficiently countered by the prosecution. It remains a lingering source of doubt in the mind of the Court and like in all criminal trials, where there is doubt, it must be resolved in favour of the accused.

There is one further important aspect of this case which wased by the defence ince in connection with the defence of provocation and which has not been addressed by the prosecution at all. The failure to do so, in my judgement, is also fatal to the prosecution case, particularly in its duty to discharge the onus required of them in excluding the defence raised by the accused. This is the effect of the provocation on the accused who was only about 15 years old at the time. The effect of loss of a loving caring daddy to a very young boy of immature age, particularly in the circumstances of this case, would be a factor here also in assessing the gravity of the provocation on the accused. This is particularly more so because of law's compassion to and recognition of human infirmity. So having raised the point, the prosecution must exclude it. They have not done so and the Court is further left with this uncertainty.

The conclusion thre that the Court must inevitably come to is that the prosecution, has succeeded in establishing that the accused killed the deceased unlawfully but has failed to exclude the defence of provocation. The result is that the accused must be found not guilty of murder but only manslaughter.

accused is acquitted of murder but he is convicted of manslmanslaughter.

Verdict:

Acquitted rder

Convicted of Manslaughter.

Sir John Muria
a
CHIEF JUSTICE


PacLII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback
URL: http://www.paclii.org/sb/cases/SBHC/1999/28.html