Nicholaus Michael Makongoro vs Balaka Peneza (Misc. Criminal Application No. 89 of 1999) [1999] TZHC 431 (19 September 1999)

IN THE HIGH COURT OF TANZANIA AT MWANZA MISflELLANECUS CRIMINAL APPLICATIOO NCo 89 OF 1999 IN THE MAT'l'ER 0.F AN APPLICATION FOR @VISON AND in the matter 0f Criminru.. Case No.- 180 rf 1998 IN THE DISTRICT C(JURT OF GBITA DISTRICT AT GEITA NICHOLAUS MICHAEL MAKONGORO • ". Q O ••• 0 o·o O. 0. ~ ·APPLICANT Versus .... .. RULTIG This revisi0n filed by Nichlaus Michael Mako.ng0r0, is against 1 the penultimate rrder 0f the trial C:riurt at Geita District C0urt in its original Criminal Case N. 180/98., in which the resp0ndent Baraka Penea· 5 was charged with criminal trespass c/s ·1299 of the Penal C0de in 2nd c0nnt, and.with unlawful 0ccupati0n 0f public land c/s 23(I) 0f the Land Ordinance, Cap. 113 in 1st C0unt. The learned trial District . . Viagistrate (Mr JV'io l'f.i. Mrisho 1 sq.) w..c0te his well reasr-ned judgment after receiving evidence fr0m b0th sides. He rightly found that the applicant wh0 was the complainant in the criminal case 1 and· the, respondent who was the accused in. that case, 1,,iere each claiming nw:nership of plot No. 113 in Geita t0wnship. The trieJ_ District Magistrate quite ... • lit I rightJ.y cited the d ecisi0ns 0.f the High C0urt' in the cases 0f - J1]11A ,Yo,li!_L\ .9.§J_ HC.£,E., - th<; .. case 0f SAWEYLY.f3o AND}iEA NYi@A . .lV.Q. Q~~~---- JJ0._?/,J.29)..,_J1~!.0: }l~f£..~~~~ ( unreporte(1)... The learned trial District Magistrate repr0duced the substance n.f the hnlding or, the High Court in the tw, cases abnve cited, t0 the effect that.: 11 Jhe:n in a case 0f riminal trespas, ad ispute arises as to ownership of land, the c0urt ( trial Ct'-urt) .s]1;<;u,l.d, .n..~~ pr0ceed with the crimirlc-u charge, it should advise the c0mplainant t0 bring a civil action to determine the questinn 0f 0wnershiy.:, Cn the basis of these decisins, the learned trial Magistrate acquitted the accusedjresp0:nde:nt 1

• -- . • .J • I and advised the colainant/Ap.plicapt t0 •file a ciyil case to determine·-· th •issue bf·' 0wnership nf pl0t No. 113 fust. In my cnnsidered view, · . . . ~ .i: .' .... ',· ' .. \ . the lear.fed h:·ial 1 Di-strict Magistrate did ·ne--t crirrg;ily with the deciinn of the Iiigh Court in· the two' cases cited abr-ve. He shr,uld have ·. . ... ·. . I suspended ·the' criininal prnceedings, 'l:his ·mer.u1S he should not have g"lne ,.t:;: on with the pr0ceedings "UP- t,-:-: the print of w.ri ting a j udgmeμ t 1 and a ·verd:ic't: · acqui tti-ng the a:cused/resp0ndent41 That was ,irnng. And at the end ·of'Jiis judgme':rit,. after acquitting th~ accused/respnndents he made ,, ,' a specific 0rder in the fr:;J.£Lowing, terms tlE The accused (n0w · ;sp0nJ,lent) is declared tr: be lmifui 01,air hf the pl0t N0.· 113 Bl0ck' c, .' & \ a...Yld he is allC'wed tr- ·cc,ntinue with cr-nstructi---n 0n the plot.;; ·' r' hav~; to state quite ell'!E)hatically tf.at this quotted nrder c1f 'ihe • ,••. I • ·. '.trial. -fub6.rdi11aJe .curt is,.,ufraviresi , the same is legally inc0mpetent 0 .c:r ~~·- •. ,H ~ Mr. Rutaisire, learned Adv0cate :Jhn repres:r:r.ted the Cl".'!f!plain/. .. applicant in' this revi,si0n, iii.fr,rmed the Cnurt t.a hip. cJ,:fent lias • I • ' ' . alread,y ,instituted a ci_vil suit in the same Gei ta Ds_ti_ct C0urt~ 'to ' t. , _,· i dtermine the ownership 0£.' the sarne plnt Nn. 113 :ly cr-rnpliance with the judgment nf 'the trial C0urt in nrieinal criminal case U'.71. 180/1998 0 ... ,,.: . ,: The said suit is Civil Case Nn 0 4/99 which has C!"\mmenced trial, and the same has been adj0urned f0r defence 0n 24/9/99 0 l'1r 9 Rutaisire strrngly applied tr this crurt t0 quash and set aside the rrder nf the trial subordinate c0urtt dt3clo.ring the accusedjrespnndent as ,.t.hi:f,--±a-tvful owner nf pl0t N,.... 113 in Geita t1;mship, even bef0re the said ·i~·s;-ii't has been adjudicated p0n in a Civil suit in line with the decisinn 0f the . .,..,. , I Hig,.11. Cnurt i;; the twr cases ci ted,-:ab:,ve. Mr. Rwabuhanf.?- 2 iearned State Attnrney, c0nceded tn this . .,,,, applicatirn. ·· Nnw 1 starting _\1.ith rrzy- n~~~ing that I have made ab0ve~ that the crntinued prnceedings in the nriginal crimin.9.l case N0 0 180/98 up to the stage when the trinl c0urt wrnte a judgment and gave a specific

-,. ·: ·~~ ~ .. ~ .,,,.-!i.;/r .. : 3 . • verdict r.f aqquitt,al, was null and vnia "Tne t.tial c0urt was bnund in law to mei-elY sμspend th(:) brimi,n:a.J/ pr0ce.edings 9,e.'fr.:r:e, -JJ:':til'.lf3 .its .. judgment-n'.;;/.1:Jef0re. giving is d'i-'bt 0:f' a.cquittai: rt;_,follows alsn ·' ~ . '·; .. :- . i· '. .. that the penul timte order r-f the trial subnrdinate Ci"''lμ't;-- declaring the accused/respmidt lful_ CMer 0f p1,;t Nn~ 113 Blnck Q,. Get:ta township; . is null and I,,. V(\ld:, hehce legally inc0w.i.=ietente~; In the circumsnll.s, ' . - I quash the· ·entire_ prnc?edings, the jfdgment and thE:l 0rders tb.c;1-:t were ., proce~"a'ect' 'a.nd \sassed by the tri~ Di'i:3trit Ct;:urt at - Cfaita in :its' 0:r'iginal criminaJ: c·E;Be: Nt/ - 180/1998'-·iri ·'which ·-ti1e ac'cused/resp0nderit was charged and finalJ'.y'acqtiitfed• For vc:J~~ce'rif:drmbts, the suit 1 that: il3;; _civil case 1 N0 0 4/99 ·wh_ic11 the cr,mplainant/applicant has instituted in Gei ta District C0u_i;;t _a.gaiI1St the accused/resp-ndent, 0ne Barak:a Peneza, t0 determine tht issue 0f 0wnership of Plot N0., 113 Blnck c; Gei ta t0wnship,' shr>uia·. pr0ce:d for trial. Hr,wever, I r:-rder that, th;;at suit sh--uld be trieg. and decided by a.n,...,the;r Magistrc;i.te nf competent __ ju.risdict;i,...n, nther.}han :tvJ.r 0 Nl.Jv!e Iish"', learned District Magistrate 0 T-he !'..:S"t3c.l.,½.:l~ 0f the suitpl0t" E'li~all be maintained pending the final deterrnin,1tirm 0f the civil . proceedings in 'respect of ownership of the plrit in questi0n 11 This means n0 further ,devel0pment nn that pl•'"'t slitll be effected by: any011e r,f th_e part_ies until the ,lE:gal· '01rmer .-::,f thnt pl0t :i..s fitiariy declare.cl ·by · the· :cr-urts. I rtr;der accnrdingly,. ., This revisfr,nal applicatirm is granted with ens ts. AT MVJANZA 19-9-1999 JlJIGE I hereby certify that this is a true c0py ·of the Crigf-- f

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