The High Court of Fiji has discharged 19-year-old without recording a conviction after he pleaded guilty to an offence of acts intended to cause grievous harm.
He had admitted that on 4 October 2025 at River Road, Narere in Nasinu, he unlawfully wounded another man by repeatedly punching him in the face and mouth.
The court heard that the incident occurred around 4am after the complainant met the accused and another man while returning home.
The complainant shared alcohol with them before the accused allegedly became aggressive and began punching him. The victim managed to escape into a nearby home, where police were contacted.
During his caution interview, the accused claimed he had consumed alcohol and alleged that the complainant had sexually assaulted him while he was unconscious. The court noted this allegation when considering the circumstances of the offence.
At the time of the incident, the accused was 18 years old and a first-time offender. He pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and had spent approximately one month and one week in remand.
In mitigation, defence counsel submitted that the accused is now a second-year vocational student at Nasinu Secondary School, is remorseful and expressed concern that a conviction would negatively affect his employment prospects.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the offence, the court exercised its discretion under Section 16 of the Sentencing and Penalties Act 2009 and ordered that the accused be discharged without conviction.
