Ihemeje v R [2023] NSWCCA 72

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Ihemeje v R [2023] NSWCCA 72 Hearing dates: 20 March 2023 Date of orders: 20 March 2023 Decision date: 29 March 2023 Before: Price J; N Adams J; Yehia J Decision: (1) Appeal allowed. (2) Quash the conviction of import marketable quantity of border-controlled drug, namely methylamphetamine, pursuant to s 307.2 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth), entered in the District Court of New South Wales on 20 October 2022. (3) Order a new trial. (4) List the matter at Sydney District Court on 30 March 2023 before Judge G O'Rourke SC to fix a new trial date. Catchwords: CRIME – conviction appeal – where Crown prosecutor who signed the indictment was not authorised to do so – whether trial and conviction are a nullity because of invalid indictment – Crown conceded – conviction quashed and retrial ordered Legislation Cited: Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), s 307.5 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), ss 126, 16 Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1983 (Cth), ss 6, 31, 16 Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1986 (NSW) Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1986 (NSW), s 25 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 12(1)(a) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), ss 68, 69 Cases Cited: Ozgen v R (2021) 291 A Crim R 408; [2021] NSWCCA 252 Ravarotto v The Queen [2012] VSCA 263 Regina v Darko Janceski (2005) 64 NSWLR 10; [2005] NSWCCA 281 Regina v Halmi (2005) 62 NSWLR 262; [2005] NSWCCA 2 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Cyril Onyewuchi Ihemeje (Applicant) Crown (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr T Woods (Appellant) Ms M Kumar (Respondent)