THE Fiji Court of Appeal has allowed the appeal of a man sentenced to seven years behind bars for acting as a lookout during a robbery at Lautoka in 2007.
Asaeli Vukitoga was charged for his part in a robbery that resulted in $5700 worth of items being stolen. In 2008, Vukitoga pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years and three months by the High Court in Lautoka.
Appealing the sentence, the accused submitted the verdict offended the totality principle and was too harsh and excessive.
In its judgement, the Court of Appeal stated Vukitoga was already serving a sentence of nine years which began on December 12, 2007 and the sentence for robbery of seven years, three months also started on December 12. The court reasoned that the December 12 start date of Vukitoga's sentence meant he would serve four years concurrently to the term he was already serving while another three years would be served consecutively.