Former SODELPA parliamentarian, Mosese Bulitavu and Fiji United Freedom Party President, Jagath Karunaratne have both appealed against their conviction and sentence before Judge Justice Vinsent Perera.
Bulitavu was sentenced to two years, five months and 13 days imprisonment and Karunaratne was sentenced to two years, five months and 16 days imprisonment.
Bulitavu and Karunaratne were found guilty of spray painting words in different places between Nausori and Suva with the seditious intention of bringing into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the government of Fiji.
They did this with others between the 1st and 27th of August 2011.
Bulitavu's lawyer Babra Malimali has filed 18 grounds of appeal saying the Magistrate erred in law when she failed to identify the elements of the offence of sedition as it applied in this case.
The lawyer for Karunaratne, Filimoni Vosarogo has filed seven grounds of appeal in which he stated the Magistrate erred in law when she failed to properly evaluate the whole scheme of evidence according to the particularized preference of the charge and subsequently failing to consider the absence of evidence of Karunaratne being involved in the offence.
He has also indicated to the court that he will be applying for bail pending appeal.
Justice Perera informed both lawyers that he will need to see the Magistrate Court records first.
The case has been adjourned to 13th June.
