Appeals for Bulitavu and Karunaratne have been consolidated

The two appeals by Mosese Bulitavu and Jagath Karunaratne have been consolidated.

Former SODELPA parliamentarian Mosese Bulitavu and Fiji United Freedom Party President, Jagath Karunaratne are appealing their conviction and sentence before Judge Justice Vinsent Perera.

Bulitavu is serving a sentence of two years, five months and 13 days imprisonment and Karunaratne is serving a sentence of two years, five months and 16 days imprisonment.

Bulitavu and Karunaratne were found guilty of spray painting words in different places between Nausori and Suva with the seditious intention of bringing into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the government of Fiji.

They did this with others between the 1st and 27th of August 2011.

Bulitavu’s lawyer Barbara Malimali has filed 18 grounds of appeal saying the Magistrate erred in law when she failed to identify the elements of the offence of sedition as it applied in this case.

The lawyer for Karunaratne, Filimoni Vosarogo filed seven grounds of appeal stating the Magistrate failed to properly evaluate the whole scheme of evidence according to the particularized preference of the charge.

They have also indicated to the court that he will be applying for bail pending appeal.

The case will be called again next Friday.