Former Opposition MP Mosese Bulitavu and businessman Jagath Karunaratne’s defence counsels will be filing 18 and 7 grounds of appeal respectively.

Bulitavu and Karunaratne appeared in the Suva High Court this morning and are appealing against their conviction and sentence.

Thirty-five-year-old Bulitavu and fifty-year-old Karunaratne were handed down custodial sentences by the Suva Magistrates court in April.

Bulitavu’s lawyer, Barbara Malimali informed the court today that this is a timely appeal because they are anticipating the Writ of Elections to be issued between July and August.

She says her grounds of appeal will mostly be on the law.

Karunaratne’s lawyer, Filimoni Vosarogo says he will rely on the court records.

Bulitavu was sentenced to two-years five months and thirteen days imprisonment, while Karunaratne was been sentenced to two-years five months and sixteen days imprisonment by the Magistrates court after they were convicted of one count each of sedition.

Bulitavu together with former businessman Karunaratne spray painted words in different places between Nausori and Suva with the seditious intention of bringing hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the Government.

The incidents occurred between the 1st to the 27th of August in 2011.

The matter has been adjourned to June 13th to follow up on the court records.