Samoa’s Supreme Court Justice Vui Clarence Nelson has urged government to look at expediting the proposed Alcohol Control legislation to assist the courts in dealing with alcohol related crimes.
He made the call in court while sentencing a 22 year old man to six years in jail for manslaughter according to the Samoa Observer newspaper.
Justice Vui said in sentencing that the purpose of sentencing is to hold the defendant accountable for his actions and also to deter them from such behavior and to send an appropriate message to the general public, especially in relation to alcohol consumption.
He said, “Over the years I have said to hundreds of defendants that if you can’t drink and act responsibly, it is best to leave alcohol alone.”
In this matter, Justice Vui was sentencing one of two defendants charged in the death of a man after they beat him up during a drinking session.
On April 7, 2017 the codefendants were drinking with their uncle when the victim arrived “drunk and carrying a machete”.
The victim was also, ‘swinging his machete around’ and threatening the crew, unwise action given where the party was happening.”
The defendants beat him up then took him to the road where they left him.
The victim was apparently unconscious from the beating.
According to Justice Vui, though the deceased was obviously at this point
unconscious from the assault, the defendants left him lying by the roadside
and returned to the party.
Later they returned To where the deceased was still by the roadside snoring
and they tried to carry him home but he was too heavy, so they left him there.
Justice Vui labeled the actions by the two as careless.
He said, “No thought was given to telling the deceased’s family about what had
happened to him or of the deceased’s whereabouts and his condition.
“These are quite careless actions and indicate a failure to render any
assistance to the deceased that these men had just assaulted.”
Justice Vui sentenced One of the defendant who had pleaded guilty to six years
imprisonment.
His co-defendant pleaded not guilty and will appear next month for trial.
