High Court Judge, Justice Daniel Goundar has dismissed the appeal of a man who was sentenced to 7 years, 7 months and 2 days imprisonment by the Savusavu Magistrates Court for a count each of possession of marijuana and unlawful cultivation of marijuana.
Ilisoni Tuisavusavu had pleaded guilty to the charges and had appealed his conviction as he said that he was pressured by Police to confess to the crime during his caution interview.
Tuisavusavu was found with 13.7 grams of marijuana and cultivated 713 marijuana plants.
While giving his judgement, Justice Goundar says Tuisavusavu’s claim that he only pleaded guilty because of Police pressure is devoid of merit.
He says the magistrate conducted the proceedings fairly and ensured that the pleas that Tuisavusavu entered were voluntary and without pressure from anyone.
Justice Goundar further says Tuisavusavu informed the magistrate that he was pleading guilty freely adding he had admitted the facts tendered in support of the charges and also informed the magistrate that his admissions contained in his caution interview were made voluntarily.
