The State v Leah Tununtu
| Jurisdiction | Papua New Guinea |
| Judge | Brunton J |
| Judgment Date | 14 November 1990 |
| Citation | (1990) N947 |
| Court | National Court |
| Year | 1990 |
| Judgement Number | N947 |
Full Title The State v Leah Tununtu (1990) N947
National Court: Brunton J
Judgment Delivered: 14 November 1990
N947
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
[NATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE]
CR.944/90
THE STATE
V
LEAH TUNUNTU
Goroka
Brunton J
11 November 1990
14 November 1990
CRIMINAL LAW — Criminal Code s302 — manslaughter — brief facts for purpose of arraignment — self-defence raised — domestic argument — threat by deceased "do you want to die"?
Order
Declaration filed. Accused discharged.
Cases Cited
State -v Misari Warun [1989] Unreported Judgement N753.
R -v- Kristeff [1967] Unreported Judgement SC.445A
Statutes Cited
Criminal Code ss.269, 270, 302, 562
Counsel
Mrs Ashton-Lewis for the State
Mr C Inkisopo for the Accused
DECISION
BRUNTON J: The State presented an indictment alleging that the accused had unlawfully killed her husband, by stabbing her in a domestic argument, (Manslaughter) s302 of the Criminal Code. Counsel had indicated that the accused would plead guilty to the indictment.
For the purposes of the arraignment the State Prosecutor gave the brief facts of the case, as follows:-
"On the 9th of July 1990 the accused discovered her husband, the deceased, was having an affair with another woman. At about 11am she had to meet her husband at the Kainantu Service Station. When her husband arrived a domestic argument ensued; they fought; the accused took a kitchen knife out of her bilum during the fight and cut the deceased's arm. The deceased hit her back across her face and the accused hit him again with the knife, the knife wound penetrated the deceased's groin and severed an artery".
The Court asked counsel whether a defence of self-defence was raised on these facts. The State Prosecutor replied that the retaliation by the accused was disproportionate and that the accused assaulted her husband first. There was an adjournment while both counsel considered their position.
When the Court resumed, the State Prosecutor said:-
"The sequence of events are these;
· Firstly, there was verbal...
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...Yakuye Daniel (2005) N2869; The State v John Beng [1976] PNGLR 471; The State v Kevin Anis [2003] PNGLR 344; The State v Leah Tununtu (1990) N947; The State v Leonard Masiap [1997] PNGLR 610; The State v Mathilda Edward (2004) N2726; The State v Michael Nema Melpa (2003) N2450; The State v ......
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The State v Pondros Laki (2010) N4164
...Nikola Kristeff [1967] Unreported No. 445 per Frost J at page 23; R v Korongin [1961] N204 at page 8 per Mann CJ; The State v Leah Tununtu (1990) N947; The State v Rose Yapriha (1997) N1741; The State v Michael Nema Melpa (2003) N2450; The State v Mathilda Edward (2004) N2726; The State v A......
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...v David Yakuye Daniel (2005) N2869 The State v John Beng [1976] PNGLR 471 The State v Kevin Anis (2003) N2360 The State v Leah Tununto (1990) N947 The State v Leonard Masiap [1997] PNGLR 610 The State v Matilda Edward (2004) N2726 The State v Michael Nema Melpa (2003) N2450 The State v Misa......
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Cosmas Kutau Kitawal and Christopher Kutau v The State (2007) SC927
...Yakuye Daniel (2005) N2869; The State v John Beng [1976] PNGLR 471; The State v Kevin Anis [2003] PNGLR 344; The State v Leah Tununtu (1990) N947; The State v Leonard Masiap [1997] PNGLR 610; The State v Mathilda Edward (2004) N2726; The State v Michael Nema Melpa (2003) N2450; The State v ......
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The State v Jeffery Toapas (2006) N4485
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The State v Pondros Laki (2010) N4164
...Nikola Kristeff [1967] Unreported No. 445 per Frost J at page 23; R v Korongin [1961] N204 at page 8 per Mann CJ; The State v Leah Tununtu (1990) N947; The State v Rose Yapriha (1997) N1741; The State v Michael Nema Melpa (2003) N2450; The State v Mathilda Edward (2004) N2726; The State v A......
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Emil Kongian, Basil Singawi, Dennis Nopi, Freddy Kam, Henni Mathew, Jack Kam, Jeffrey Winjat and Roger Gisa v The State (2007) SC928
...v David Yakuye Daniel (2005) N2869 The State v John Beng [1976] PNGLR 471 The State v Kevin Anis (2003) N2360 The State v Leah Tununto (1990) N947 The State v Leonard Masiap [1997] PNGLR 610 The State v Matilda Edward (2004) N2726 The State v Michael Nema Melpa (2003) N2450 The State v Misa......