A teenager accused of murdering a Simla, Lautoka man last year has been acquitted of murder but convicted of a lesser count of manslaughter.
After a two-day trial at the High Court in Lautoka, judge Justice Chamaith Morais concurred with the opinion of the assessors and convicted Alvein Dliesh Mani of manslaughter and a count each of aggravated robbery and theft.
He faced these criminal charges for the death of 57-year-old Pushpa Chandra in his home in February last year.
In his judgment, Justice Morais established that Mani had stood by his stance of provocation and the prosecution had relied on his caution interview which disclosed that the accused was provoked into committing the offence.
Justice Morais noted that the prosecution also failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt their version of events in the first count of murder.
He added the assessors were correct in opining the accused to be guilty of manslaughter.
Mani is expected to be sentenced on November 30.
