It is not sufficient when misrepresentation on the part of an applicant for asylum has been shown for that applicant to accept that what has been said is untrue, and then apologise for the lies. The applicant must give a clear, coherent, substantial and reasonable explanation for actively misleading the asylum authorities. Misrepresentation and dishonesty must have consequences, especially when an applicant has had many opportunities to disclose any earlier misrepresentation motivated, for example, by fear of being returned to the country from which he or she had fled.

A Tribunal’s findings will not be invalidated simply because an asylum applicant’s self-reporting of events to a medical practitioner, as may be working on behalf of SPIRASI, is consistent with his or her account to the asylum authorities, particularly where aspects of the claim related by the applicant lack credibility.