Home | Databases | WorldLII | Search | Feedback High Court of Fiji

State v Fraser [2010] FJHC 122; HAC118.2006 (14 April 2010)

IN THE HIGH COURT OF FIJI
AT LAUTOKA
CRIMINAL JURISDICTION

CRIMINAL CASE NO. HAC 118 OF 2006

STATE

V

JACK ANTHONY FRASER

Miss I. Whippy with Miss L. Vateitei for the State
Mr. H.A. Shah for the Accused

Date of Hearing: 29 March – 14 April 2010
Date of Judgment: 14 April 2010

SENTENCE

[1] You have been found guilty in the Judgment of this Court of the offence of murder contrary to section 199 and section 200 of the Penal Code, Cap. 17.

[2] You murdered somebody for money on the orders it seems of a commercial enemy in the jewellery trade. This is Fiji in 2006 not Chicago of the 1920s or Southern Italy of the twentieth century.

[3] You admitted this murder in a cautioned interview which was obviously voluntarily made by you. You did not know the victim but for $20,000 you agreed to kill him without even knowing why he was to be killed. You only received $2,000 of your contract fee which you spent on alcohol. To take the life of another for money, not matter how much, is a tragedy of the utmost gravity. You took away the father of a long awaited baby, the exemplary employee of a manufacturing jeweller and a cherished friend of at least 3 witnesses before this Court. All because of your greed. This Court has not one ounce of sympathy for your predicament.

[4] I am mandated by law to pass a life time term of imprisonment on you, and to reflect the abhorrence of the community for contract killings, I order that you will serve a minimum term of 16 years before you will be eligible for parole.

Paul K. Madigan
Judge

At Lautoka
14 April 2010