The Court of Appeal has postponed the hearing for the sentence appeal of convicted rapist Sanjeet Singh after two unsuccessful attempts to present him in court. One of the attempts saw another prisoner with the same name mistakenly brought before the judges, leading to further complications in the proceedings.
Singh was convicted of rape and sexual assault in July 2020, receiving a life sentence with a minimum non-parole period of 43 years and 11 months. He was granted permission to appeal his sentence, with the initial hearing set for November 10, 2025, in Ba. However, on that date, Singh was not present, having been transported to the Court of Appeal in Suva instead. Subsequently, the case was rescheduled for November 18, 2025, in Suva, but once again, Singh was not brought to court. The confusion continued as another inmate with the same name was presented, further delaying the case.
Adding another layer to the situation, Singh’s Legal Aid lawyers revealed that he had instructed them to appeal not only his sentence but also his conviction just a day prior. The Court of Appeal, comprising Justices Alipate Qetaki, Madam Andrews, and Andrée Wiltens, concluded that Singh must first apply for permission to challenge his conviction before the sentence appeal could proceed.
Given these new developments and the repeated errors by prison authorities in producing the appellant, the court has decided it is inappropriate to continue with the sentence-only appeal during the current session. The appeal will remain on hold until Singh’s application for leave to challenge his conviction is addressed.
This incident highlights the ongoing issues within the judicial and prison systems that can impact the timely administration of justice, but it also provides Singh with a chance to resolve more than one aspect of his legal battles in the upcoming proceedings.
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