Sungura Athuman vs Republic (Criminal Appeal No. 291 of 2016) [2018] TZCA 788 (20 September 2018)

.·, .. :., ..... IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF TANZANIA '! • . t< ti.' - ,., "'·. .. .... . "" . (CORAM:_ MUSSA, J.A., LILA, J.A., AND-MWAMBEGELE, J.A.) . ~f~ : ' ,... · ... Jt:',otlt"-'11", ·-"<!""'. . •'1 . '"' ..... ,,( fi"l"'-'t#~} CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 291 OF 201·6 . . ... . SUN'G·u.AA ATHOfiiJA'N·~~ -~;.u; - --~- ·•i••~··················~--:::·~ ■-~ ••• ~·■- ••• .;·.:.;~:~.~:~:;:.· ·-APPel.LANT VERSUS . THE-·REPUBLIC ••••• -~ ••••••••••••• ~.-~ ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ~ •• :~ •••• RESPONDENT · · {Appeal from the Judgment of the High Court of Tanzania at Shinyanga) ·;{· (Makani, J.) Dated the 6 th d~y of May, 2016 in · DC. Criminal Appeal No. 21 of 2016 JUDGMENT OF THE COURT - -~ '. ·• ' 31 st August & J.9 th November, 2018 MUSSA, J.A.: .i In the District Court of Shinyanga the appellant was arraigl1€d f{)r rape, ,contrary to s..ACtions 130, (1) (2) (e) and 131 (1) of the Penal Code, 'f '," '1' ·,r ,, ··,·"~ -·: --~··- .... <:haptec iu z:.'Of~:the,,·R,evised Edition ,i002-·o{~the ~ taws-:,oKclnzania. The - ' ( . particulars of the charge sheet alleged that on a divers· day in March 2015, ~~ ' ~~ ,. • ,. ~ 1,.;.. • • ,.. .. at Upongoji ar€a, Wit'nrn the Municipality of Shinyanga, the .appellant had .- -: • ..,.:,_;,:: 1 . ' •• -../.- ,·. - . seKuaLintercourse \,vith .a certain "M.J." {PWl) who then v-1as -t,en years of age. ... · The· appelrant denied the charge following which""' the prosecution ,, • . l • \ • - · 1 ~, • i • · , ,,•· featured: five witnesses and one documentary exhibit XP1) compri~d of a. ~ . ' . ... .., • ·1" . - . • •••• ?:"1.· ._·t, ,.1,, . . - - - ~ " _ .• J. ...... ~ • ..: ..... - :_-.·~ '"""" -·. • ~---~ ,11-~ ; -- ;~•~,~~'- ,Police Fornt:No. J;·-Jn reply;--the appellant had himself as a .. sole ·witness __ ...:_,, ---- ~and, as it-were,. he .compl.etely .disassociated himself from . .the_. prosecution._ -· ... ~~ . , .. •.-., . . . -...11•\.-, ...... ~ '.·.,. • ••• .,,,_., • -~ . ,.., .... -- ._., .• ·:··.- ••• ·••.• ••• accusation. · .At ,the , height of .)!he . trial proceedings, the trial Magistrate was · . ·impressed· by the ·-version · told by the prosecution witnesses and, accordingly 1 . found the prosecution case to have been established to the ' . ·. -·hilt. In :t~e result, the)appellant was convicted but, in the course -0f so convicting, the tearned trial Magistrate-said thus:- . . . . . . . .. _'.'\._ : . . . ··,:' -_ .. · ·, · •~-.-~ so tke ,a~sed- p&r-S911- c-0nviGt.ed {sf£} as .per S ' ?;> ' _·,:· • . . , · ·, ,312 {J)>of·,CPA {cap. 20 .R.E 2002} (sic} after . observation of the whole evidence done .by this Court..,., .)' -~ ,.._ 'ff Upon <onvid:ion, the . appellant was sentenced to a t€rm Jof thirty . • ... . r ~ • • memorandum _of appeal with a supplementary memoran9um attached to it . . ,1/{1 . ..r.-.. t} Ir. . 2 The two memoranda · may:conveniently be crystalized and paraphrased as.• ' . . ' . follows:,.. :, , .. :: · ; ; ' \ ·• '.. . '(';_' '.!' i '. .was . ·. . _ . ~ _,:_-- -~- . , , . : ... : . . , >::-:2. That there. was :no . proof of age J>f the · alleged victim; .. :-;_:: ::_ .,. ; H~),;3.,TIJa,t. th~ icas~J;i~r Jhe. proseclit;in was ., . :,, . . . :: , ;:u.ndermined ' . . . . .. by· )<contradictory evidence .· ·_ .. . ~ . '•. . . . . . \ ~ •'. ; ·, ; . r- ~ ..... - r-· ·- . -; - . :,- ,... . . · .... : · .. frorn its witnesses; ': ,_- .· -·:... ~: .. _ •, ·•:. ': /! ·-; :.· ·:·~\ _\t,i_::~,:_;_}_._·.~.i.::{._:_~-/'.i ~-: -_.: :·r-. _;,;•- . r-:::-.~ \t.:~- ,;~·:. ;-.-~-: ~: :: .. ·:; ::. .., . ··. .. ~~!/c~\:1r;t•' -- .. ~: .. ~~r. -- ~{: .. : .·. ·:~~Ii;()5. :Thc1~;the -Pf,. 3 "'(c:IS,improperly adduc~d into . . . . :: ·• . .-•. . . .. . ·;·- .. · . . . ' .. - - evidence· and · ·'C. .. . .. , .. , . ' ,.· !. ; ) }~- not consider . : . . _ .... ·,~.- ........... »· ... · tp·-·-· i· :~r~ .. ;:,..;~·-•-il--~; .... ~-- '\; · .. .,.._.. . - . : . ":,f . ·. _: --~~:: .: . At the ·hearing : before·; ·tis, th~ .app~Jl~_fl_t :'f'l.?S fending for -himself;-.· · unreprer:>ented, whereas the respondent Republic had the servic-es ;of Ms. - •· Margareth Noaweka, lea'rned''··senior State Attorney~· who was·•1'ibeing. ·. ...... assisted by Mr. Shaban Massanja, learned State Attorney. As it turned out ... io \• \C t• ',e- ~: )r'th~ appellant:fully adppted his two mef[loranda of appeal!but deferred their~ ' ' ·" .,:· .•. ..·. ~ _'-}~~. · _, :~etaboration- to :a•~·'later stag€r:Jf oied be;'':after the·-, submissions~ oL.:.the _;-~:·:~~ , ,:·;;:·,. · ·.respondent... For tier part, Ms. -Ndaweka commencedd her .address .by fully · .. .. :::· __ . ~..,,:; •• • ~• ,1,_. •''~ •,O~ • •• - 1,• • I .... -~• .. i : supporting the conviction as well as the sentence meted out against the •. . . . '•• . : . <tppellant. Nonetheless, :ahead bf our consideration and determination of . : . ; ,ithe :points of contention~ we think it is pertinent to outline, albeit briefly, i :.· the ·factual background giving rise to the apprehension,· arraignment and '. t~e eventual conviction of the appellant. .. . . . . .. ' -- : ihcOur starting point-is/the-evidence or't:he alleged victim (PW1). The . . . . . ~ ·. . "• '. c;:,_ 'Wit~s Jntroduced herselfcas a .t~n years· ol_~_,and, thus, ,the Court· h~d to 1. '·' ''., (.i,_ ·, \ 1., , ·,., · ~ondμct a voire dire test tahead of .everything. During the exercise, the · _court !put to her several q~estions before making- a finding to the effect that ::she understood the nature of an oath and PW1 .was, accordingly, -~ sworn. ,, , ~.,,. ..,;•-;;'I f..,W,'4, ...... '#l"JU&--,_.. -lU:1,1-!> ~ --... ·• In her sworn testimony, -PW1 told the ~rial court that she was a ·. ·, standard - IV-pupi(-at Kambarage Primary' School and,- that 'she knew the appellant as a r-esident of Upongoji area within Shinyanga Municipality. Her . · . ,ev~denc-e was to the effect that someday in Mar-ch 2015 she was· watking ~'!;- 4:~- .1'· .. ~- ' 1 ~:t ,':J ~)f, 4 ·, towards·home·after knocking.off from schooL Midway,::she :bumped across ,._ .. i·-it 1"' ' 1 4 ' ., \.e 1 · i.,, .-'~.,:_ . , ·.~: ,P:;fri~nd:·of1:hers whom:_..we.-shalf.hencefop:h refer as ~'~l;/'?'1,s it turned :out, :r .. · ,.. . . . ..... ,.·\ ..... ; . . ·.: . , . ; . . . . '... . . ..: ; ... :: .. ··: . '"" . : . :: ~>,.. :. . . . , . .,.· ;;.. . ~ .. L:,.::~;1,i;.MT :~·a$ked~.J?W1. ·_t-<:vestort ;thee.to -·~Uporigoji to:Lwhic~·i-equest .. -the l~tter,- ·.\ - .;:.,~, _,~' .. i; ·· ·;•_..::. ·obli.9ed:..1~l\~therv'.'led.J?.Wl,.to~the. house: of the appelJ~htunto __ wbicb.:both~. _.·. •·.··:· • ,c·> --·--••~ .. _,;· •-~ •·· . . ~.~•.:.·_-·~--·.·.;:·:-•.::;.-:.. .. , ~-- . •·•- :-:·y;:: ... 1~entered <:a.nd.rfound ··the ·:appellant therein. ·MT :a:lleg~dly informed th·e .. · . . . - ·". . . . . . . ·•'•. - ... ' . .·. . :- .. : : . . .. ··~'··:- ·: .. ,,. · .. ·,•;appellani::~\T/7.lsisthe girl, ,;whereupon the latter· VV¢14\/11ec1 the visitors to ... ' . . ··..,_·:·f:.::_.;·,·· ]i ; '/(!::tthisrfbedr.oon,. hAccording ·to :'.iPWl; i·whilst .there,·::\to}ther .surprise,· .. MT. ' ,),,,ttundr~~}~r and/soon after, the appeHant in~rtea.;f ITian hood into her •.•· • I . • . • ., .. , '::::/: \~vag.ina;::~Wtrc!aim<=d to ·have felt unt_olp _pain :i.n con~ajq~n<:e 9f which she· · ::··: -:•. :,: .·">::,'·:: . . .. · .. :.>,,·. ·:. :'\b)J/I:,, . ' . .. .· i: ;,/.\~ ·;;<Cried· but,.~qer,·wailing · was •.discontinued .by the app~1_1 9 nt amidst a threat . _ · -; · .. ·. :: .. - ·.·': ::;.:f;:{:::;//_; , ·· ..... · · : ·_. · ·:;·· ···:: :.,'· · ·::?Lrns.:'·, .... · :: · .. · .. '· · :_. · · :·· · · c: 1,n · that he ~~ould ,.stab .i heL : At -th~ -end of the ungodly>act the appellant . . . .. •· .. -:;:,r.:'>;~t:!i;'Ji:tis:r-,•.:::-:.. · .. ·· . · ·· ·· ·; · .:··:,:·.:,:1··:: ::-:'_:,::\:·;>?1:i}1r··'x!:: ,; . · ··· · •·· :/·:, ·.: ;::rewarded 'PW1 with some sweets. { · · '/:~tt\:<· · ·.. · • - •;: ,· · ., · :: . :.- . >/~.:tj~;t,'.·.· -· · . : :: . ·',:(?:(l?:-: · ,,.,, . i ! •. · • .,;, rm4r~fter, lPWl · .returned · home but she. did ~gf -~Isc1ose )Nhat befell • .: .... ,y . on ,,her:~.~~r : grandmother, , ,henceforth ·· rJ:rr~~· [ a: {PW2). · She, . ··· . . .· .. . . ... _·-:.- .. _ ; r,' ·. ~,~\howev~r" 't.ijJ~ ~r that she-,·,as u.nw.ell follo\.Y~0.9 w,J1ic~ pw2 t9pk ~r to ·.,. .... ~• _ . ..,~,.. •~«1,n,..,,,,1-.,,.~ ~.-'·:·:· . •- "' .,,,._~:n, ,1c.,...._-4.~~-~-~.:..., .. ·:·~ .. - ... '·_·;Shinya~ga?Governm'efit'"'1,ospital wtier€-_She. was ··attendecft~·~cci5faihg to . ,f, ,; • . • • • ::. ~: . . . !b. . -~ -:# • ' . ~ • . .: . -· . $ .. •.; .• ,,::· • _.,,, ,. ·•·: PW2,Jh9 t ·wa~ on-the 2 nd .March;· 2015. A little lqter, q,nJh.e 5 th March, 2015 . . ",.. U,i;. -· ,,',....... . · •. _,.,' u'...:.· ... ,,,'. - .......... . · PW2 took PWl to her sch60'1 'where the head teacher punished her 'with a .· •,· . cane for·11ot· attending school for five days .. It -was ·'ih ·_the course of the , ... ,. cfi~stisement when PWl reveal~9 h~r ordJa1 w-itlt the appellcl'rlt 5 . . .· .. ~· . . - . . : ~A_,.good dea.L t 9 t~¥ ·Qn th_e r23 rd Ma~ch, 2015 the .qesp!~able episode \ " :· .. ,-·. , .. :.:· ... ·-:'.- _;,":~'-.. . . .·:-.·.: :i: . .. ,..,·: .. _ .. · .' :>_. ?--:. ·"-i:·: -: .·· .. 1 ·:', ~ ··· -· __ ·wa~-eventual_ly. report~ to _Shinyanga l;'.o!ite _Station befqr~ a w9tnan polio~.· ·· .. , .. · <!,~~,;,.i; .. , · r. .. · <D;, •. · ·· ·,}f- 1 .\:- )' ..... , . •-i•·.· :·:,.,,.,,. ~ ;~·;,¥,&~:~.:> · .:~, .. :iL :~( · · ./?/.;,~ :{\, >. i_;..,:: -·- ·•-rr· : ::,,.,,;, ... _ .. · '. -,_.--:~oristab1e;~,(pwefi.\~9on ·.after,. PWl was :presented.· to. a ... mediCc3I -officer ,· . . . ·.:.. " . . . · . .' . ..-.~ .... =.~ .... ~------•;_~/-·•~~,.~ .:::. -- - __ .. _;-.•. ·-_-·\.<,)tfL~/t/:·:_~:·'.~ ... :: .. ~.--:.. ____ ,_ .... _.:....:_.,;~.,~:· .. ;:~.~:.,..: .:..: .... -· - .. : · ._· : ... 1_: -~}~{._': ... _.-·_~:.. -~---:.~·:'"·-::~~--•.:.;• ..... :..:~---~ --~ ·:_'-:_:whom we·.stiail--sht{~:~~11 ~WS) of Kariib_arage'health Centre, for medical · )?t--~-~.:-i·. •: · :-r~~/<:<~- .. _-- _. __ -- · · .. •.· · · ;:e)(amination.:-HaVing\e~amined her, PWS ·found the genital-organs of PW1 . - _-: :- .: . . _·_.~<_ ... -: ·: :- .. _ .... ·_-~/_r~\~~/:~-.'.:•·_ -- . -_ .... ; ·-= - _··--. • .•. - • __ ··-:~·-::·: --::-::. /:.\· ........ :--: : ·- ,, -,_.:_,.t~. ;be, ·in order_,:Withq:~t ;~ny bruises or tears. The little -girl 'Wa:s however, ':;.-·· _-: __ .:',·<,::,;;,<, -·:•·.,Jl&-~L;.;·:·.,, .... · ... - .:::-::, ',_:' .. )/1;.'i:,'/~{.{{~{\,::··_ -: '>/<Without .the:Jt1ym~n:_iarid :the medical .officer formed th~ iopinior(that PW1 - ·- : i: .-_ ,: : .< ., '·::. :::·)i~;~(,p{ }, .. ·.· .. _ ·_ - ·_ -X :;} : ::.- >·: ··: · :{ti/·\ :;:;';\,:1+'·\>:>·:: - ·•· · ,,.,had been iexposed:tq (§ex:several times. According to a d~tectiv~ _Corporal, · . . . ' ,' -~ ;:::;. '·_;/.\ 1 ,/:i·: : >. • : .•• ' • - • ::~f:),: i'):,t}:;.:,.,· <-'~·r ::-/~:-:·simpty;riar;neq .as.;(BW3);}the. appellant was apprehende9 ·jn _Aprl!320l? after .- - ... :_ .·,· _ : : : . - : _ L{;:?<: ,\ . :, i:;Ml;:A};;. ( . : - .· :_ :: :_ .' ::__:~:, . \;, .; : - 'JI-,1j:\ :.;,\:fr~1;~~{{< - . ·- i .':,\:..,,- •- havirjg 1burrip¢d acrbs$/~i'-telative of PWL ·withthis :detail, ·so-::rnu·c:h fqr the- _· ; .. . : < \',i~f<·-: _:::;_'i:ji~f-?:'.i>' ::·r·. ; ·_ · _ · /:_ < ·. :::{:), :_: >-·:": :/~!f6: >:·;,J:·//z:~iiri{f ;. · - · .· . ;-; : . v~r.sior1-'V-l'.hiffi>Vi~.s·:μl)y¢.1{ed :by the _prosed.mo~ ~1ltnesse5:;~u;~ng:t~e, ;oat It tf. ·• ·.· ···, if ~ma;~~~~in~~I~~bk;e· that:,.~ave to,r~~s,···th~t:m[tf iau ~e .• ··· :i · prpsecqtionJWitnes~es:)_)Nas:.,not, at all, test~d :-by .the .ap~U,fqtJln cross- . . • ' • ' •. ' : • . . • • _. • • . . . • • . ·, • . . . . :-· . !-~' .: • . . ->;if::_.!:, . : .1s • . . ';j .: >.:\ }: · ,_ .,:"' ;~ - - . · i..if .· ::---~, ·i ' ~:;; 1 J-i:, - ~ ... ' ~ . . · ·_ ;.· . _;-W€;,. t}ay~3!~t~99Y. intimated that the appellanJ -gqy~ :.:?.9J~:.~~s.timony in .,_,_,,.,·.~-•,.,..f"- .. ; . - . ~:. :· ·: ··:_-. : -_ ··_1i··<·::r:·: .. ·_., ._ -,~~·-: :.:;;~.,. .. ~-~•- ·-..·;·~~~~,-· -.11.,-t,-;: .;._. 40 •• _,-., •• _- _: • .tt~'.'.:.~·t::; . ---~. ::;:: ... o:.~~.-""'1t'f.1rla,·t 1•:•"":_ . , -.<.:./<which he cd'rnpletely~disassoci9ted himself from the prosecutiOii aG.<:Usat(on... · ·--·- . . . . . -- .,. .. . . . . . _- .. "'. .. •• • • . . • • • ....;.;: ~, ":J.- -· _: ••• •. • -~---· .... • . • .• ·• ,._:-c -;c.--~· - .. : ••. ~ .... , ....... •,-: J:iis accountwas to. the:;effectthat ofrl',the-8- th -April,.2015 he 'was-confronted · ,. f-4"' • (.!J_t"_. - . . •, . . : .by. two persons wf:lile having lunch with his paternal uncle :and- fam-Uy. . ... ,._ ... ~ . 6 •i ... heeded t6 the call and,· upon ·reaching there, he was, to his· surprise/~· ~ ·• . • ~ Cl i « e • l · ,<:- . • . i. -t· · implicated by.·the rape accusatiorf 1 of which he knew nothing about. Tha~ .\r·• ! ",,· .. . . . . .'>-"' j.,. · .. · .. . . . ~ • . ' ____ ,. .... y ·_. ... · . ·-- ........ :--' -,.·,com:luded.1:baappellant's \iersfon of the accusation a§ainst him. ,.~·~. . . . - -~'-·· ·_ , . .,. . - ........... ~..... ..... ........... -- . - . . ... ..... _ . .., ..... - ·- ......... ,. '"":": . .~.;-~·~. We have already inalrat~d" the· extent to ·which "both courts. belC)W . .were impressed by the versi_on -~s told by the prosecution witnesses. _Again~· : · - -as_ we · have •hinted ;:iupon/; M_s. Ndaweka commenced her address by: I•,.,· . supporting the .·conviction .. as :_well as the sentence meted out aga1nst the ~- ,,. . '\J: :; '., ·· · .·:: . · · · appellant.' To begin with;-she/~~vertheless, conceded that the. learned ~rial · ,. ~# .: ~. ' : ·• ; .. r •. · · ' ';, h -,.,~ • . . • . . _ , ,,i,.' 1 < ; ' Magistrate wrongly ptedicated·the conviction under section 312 '(1) of .the··,·; . . .. ·... ·. .. :;,;; ,.·;.. . . . . . ·.:: ..... : '.: ,·:;/·>> CPA,in Heu oLthe provlsion ;Under which he was charged with.-The:learned · ! !:it .. ,;;,. • ' .. . . '. ~:·· < • : • ' • I • • • ,; • •.,-.; •J~ • . . · . " ' ~- •• . •• l ;, \< -•r--·••' 1 • ·:.. · •Stat-e-.A-tt-or-fley:v1as·however quick to~-rejoin that t-he sflortt-emifi~J--:-did oo.t:~. 1 J. • O •• • • ~• 0 • , ·l' t,•4••••: \ • • •k • > lo[;, • ~ ~ ,o :•.•~. ~j !, ·occasion:-any·'miscar;iage·-ofjO~ice and was, to that extent~ curable in,aJr. :·' . . . · .. ~ . ' ..... . . . -•. ~ . . .. · .. section :.388 ,(1) of :the·::cpA)As regards the appellaries at.he/points' 'o(· · grievance, Ms. :·Ndaweka appr~~ched them generally and submitted that, , ..... ' ¼ •'!- • i'I, on the whole,~the evidence ·was 1 ove·r.whelmingly· against the appellant and . . , . . ._ ........... , ' ....... ,. -~~left no q9ubt that he, indeed, co·mmittedtj,e··offe,:t_<;e charged. ... .·•· .,. .. • • .J. ,. As the learned Senior State Attorney concluded thus, we intervened_. __ _ • to enquire from ·: □ er as to whetber~l>r. not the failure to feature MT during,.. -~~, . . . , ~- . . -~-i-the . .,/rial _<=:!t~~r -·,as· an_$iabettor or ai'1witQ~ss could prompt,.~n adverse . .!i- 7 .... inference being drawn against the prosecution. To this enquiry Ms. ... ;< \4• \I"'° .(' ·- • >Ndaweka conceded that ah.~adverse infEtrent~ rnay, indeed, be:in the 6ffing •• "• -, ~- • '.-.,. I ---11.and, · in fact, otir· intet:v.~ntion:.completeiy~erailed the,~teafA~d Seeiar State -.::~:- . ·_ -~. ::/' .Attorney. to the extent of refurbishing her earlier, stance .. by. not supporting . . .~ . ' . · the conviction upon a second thought. .<isc i < ::. Speaking of the rule :on adverse infer~nce, it is not quite_ the . . . . . ·-·_ . :; .?I ~obligation of the prosecution to call a ::superfluity of witnesses._ On the _ . -' ·, i, a":: icontrary, the prosecution is expected, as it is, indeed, in the best interests :·; ,·ie,~/\•-.tofjustice, for it to always .be concerned Y{ith the shortening of trials. Thus, : •. ·:::~::;n('·~:where in .a particular case/'.an inciden_ti~s deposed by a large nun1b~r of . . . . ,-) - , .,i:,.;u,if-noc-cac· u-. .... "O"· ,,=,...._ .... •rina in -;..nu· .... - -~fS.rnma .,....1: ~ ..... wri~nac-r.o.c- ... t-:. 0 . -. ·'d -n 0 ~ :.:_•. - ... ~ \:!::?-: ..,'1. 0 .'J'.._'1'-l~".1i~,_;;;~~w1 l.~- ·t""I - :;--:a-~~'l.~i-:t"t~1::, -11-.--~'-#';.;i-tt -~-----'.~•: . ...__ ~t tl-fG _~-L~~~ --~~ .. Ul: - '.4.c _ l:·'. .. · ·-, . ,,: . . ·_ - 1 i;:·Jt ~:be taken as a cause .for:disbelieving the :.prosecution version. Nonethe1ess 1 - .·· -. . . .· . . . , · t:rai: tthe general ·and well •known rule is that the prosecution is under a· prima _·-' . . ' . ' . ·-.;·;··o facie duty to call those witnesses who, from their connection with the \ •') ·~ .. ,. . ., ··_. i11f:' -transaction in:question, are vital and:able to testify to material fa~. If. ·,, - 1 : ::: :-such witnesses are. within reach but are notc-caHed without sufficient-reason .,._ ~1 k ~ • ,,~ being shown, the court· may. draw an inference adverse to the prosecution •.•.. ;_l .. L - C. ·•· '!' •• ' l.'-\ ' l.¼l~, · • f- ',.,~$ . {See - Azizi Abdalah Vs The Republic (1991] TLR 71). 8 In the matter at hand, there was no telling ,,whatsoever from the · f. 'tt • t ~.· ~ ¥ ~ . ·. prosecution, :letwalone· a .sufficient one/as to why it -did:t:not jeature the > \. . . ·:· . '" . ,)' ( . -~~-.;... -- :...;refepred to~.MT eitNer as· an~·abettbr.'toJ:heMcrtme:or ·a.s~a witness. As itwere/'"'''~-..;,_ ... - ' ., .. ;, :-,~ .. -MT-outspoken1y featured~in,the--test:imony of PWL If the prosecution-was .. , .. .'.~ . - . . ~ ,, . . . . ' . . . -'• '• . . ' not minded to employ her for· use, the proper approach would have been . . to discard · her at the closure of its case and offer her to the defence. As that:was :not done, an adverse inference· is, indeed, in the offing and, we -are afraicLto say, the same throws into doubt the entire account of PW1. 1 ':.-:·;! -~: :;: · /. As fate:would have it, the absence of MT is riot the only disquieting . . . .. : ·-·. . .. ·:. . : ·+:. :, ·: :aspect·:ofJhe case giving· Tise to this appeal. If js evident from the trial · . . ·.. .. . - ' '::;:,n:cr iCOUrt5Ju9g_mentthat the learned Senior District :Magistrate did not, at all, ·, '. . . ::-,~ ·. ,; . . . ; . - ·-;· .. ,, - .consideL~the , • defence , version ahead of his decision to uphold the ' _::,,· · ... ; .. . ·.·. prosecu~ion :.version without more. That was the. judgment which was : :. upheld :by the High Court which fell into the same frap of not considering 11 rr· the_appellants d~fence. ·As it turn~ out, ·in his four:tp ground of comp~aint, .· • . • j ' .. the .appella11t'-criticizes·~:botti'"cq(nts below for. turning. a blind eye·fcf"hl$ ... defence. ,, , . , .... • -.~,' • , :..,. 4- ~ It is now settled that failure.to consider the defence case is fatal with ' .. ; - ··· ·-•·the effect of"Vitiating a conviction (See/for instarice/toc:khart - Smith ~ ~ ~ . ..._ .:!6. •.I ·• ·•., -.; • .._ -1. ''ii ~~ - .. , ..... _ ~ Vs Republic [1965l E.A. 211; Elias Steven Vs Repubhc [1982] TLR 9 -~- , .. · ·,:· 313.; Hussein Iddi ·& Another Vs Republic [1986] TLR ··283; and the . . . .. ·. . . S. A. -·ULA JUSTICE OF APPEAL. ·:~~: .. • . _:·· ... >'t- , J.C. M. MWAMBEGELE ·, •. i . ·'! 'I'. ' .••... · .. JUSTICE OF APP.EAL ~:""'••·s.•,;;~••l·~••~•~~-- ..... •~:••. •.· .,..._,. ~::::,:•!.:1_.:.::t•:""1i·~,.._,.•,~ >tt•:; .... ~ •.• · • •.: • . . . . ... . . . -~-··: •·. '• . ,. ~. . : . - ·.. ·. . .· .. . . . _·. . . . ·.": ,;·;. . ., , _·,: >> -_, ... :, -: : I certify that this is a true copy of the· ori~j'inal. · :'l:-•"•• t~, .• I t::-•.••:-: ,• ..;_ t'~ • ~ I ,. ~•. . \ ·,w-· ·, . ... II ;::'// "?_;, _/ ( ,, ,, .. :-· ....... . • • • • """~ IC ~• H.S. MUSH! . · . :DEPUTY REGISTRAR . . .,, -•--t."-~··C8URT OFAPPEAL -- .,.'.~-- ..... ;_-• ::.:,a·.. JI· . ~ . ·.:.-,:·:· .. . ·., .. _., -~- .• .., •. c-...i..:.:.._,..· •• -1, ... ~~-+,; . . - .. ,.._.,,_ ......... •, 10