Republic vs Bennie Mwakingili and Another (PC Criminal Appeal No. 9 of 1996) [1998] TZHC 2475 (11 August 1998)

·• .;.,- .. - AT iJJ.IJEYl-i. JiPt->ELLATE. JIRISDIC'fION . ' . {Mbeya ti.e,gil.tfy) I. (PC) CRII-1INAL Ai:·2i1 )to 9 OF 1996 -· . . . .;. (From Jvibeya Distritt Court Criminal Appeai Nol 8 oi l~~~-i brigirial . ·, . Crimincil Cse No 561 of 199l·of Mwanjel~ . .Primary Court . . BEFOREi M. s. L\iABUTIT~ ;.. t.4M .. ) THE" REPU3'.LIC AP.PELLANT ~~ ' VERSUS .

1. JENNIE MWAKINGILI) . . . RESPONDEN'.l'S
2. VICSNT M.30MA ) • •' .. JUDGEM§!'jT, The p·rimat-y btjurt of Mwanjelwa tonvicted the two -ii,." . • :!pondents Benn_ie_ s/o_ T_wakingili and Vice:1t l\1:.):)mcl with jpe oifGnce_ ni.' assault ca.usin:; actual '.Jocily- harr:: c/ s -i cf the :?enal Cede and were sentenced tc a fine of Sfis.3,0CO/ ea6h and compensation of Shs.5,000/= by ea.th :res><::=ndent to the victj_m of crirae Lucia Lyanzi PW .1. On appeal t the District Court of Mbeya all the 2 . . a,1used/ap3 1 ellants were joth acquttted fror,1 · the offenc.e.s. .. and orde:!'.'ed to be refunded their paid fines and l'. , fJmpen.ss tLm • The Director 0f blic Prosecutions was . dissatisfied with their a-oquit,tal and has apyl.ea=:-ed to this .. - · tourt. The appeal· was drawn, filed and arged b..:l laarned 11r. :Jonifa.ce, State Attorney. -· Two grounds of appeal were f'il:ep. firstly that ;, tl\e' ~quittal was ngainst th2 overwhelming evidence jrought /'1 ·• • • • • I '-

.. i I . ·t ., .. ..,.-·: -- _ .. .. ... . •.IJ..!•,' .:.1t, 2 up by. the prosecution. The 2nd ground .. of appeal was - · .... . .. that tl:.e 1st @lP,,late cQurt erred 1,~~-;hold that .:the ~ ,. 1 -. •• ; respon:::.ents wei·e wtongly. charged. with the. offence of , . . -: ! i .. · .• .• . ~ . . . . . assault c2usir1i ·a,6/t:1.,1.9-J .. boclil:( .. har;;1::.;. ' : . . :· ' -...:;;J..... ' ''.; .. ,t .. : 1,1 , . -". tr1;at while dt..ipkint:;., 1Jornbe. 'in ,,., ·- • , ..• ' .. • '..... ! __ ·- ,, the room of 1 . PW.2 Eliza d/o.,Nsile .the 2nd Respondent ,'. . . ' . Vicent s/o Mboma paid his pombe Jill with a torn up note " . . ' of Shs.580/=.·,,RW.2 refl.rn~d to :)e pa{d .with the torn up note. The 2nd respondent abused P.W.2 to which she . .. . -- own replied with herL abuse to Jh~: 1'.1d rysponden t. &<111 PW .1 Lueia q_f..q LY,at?-i vh<? is th~ chairman PW.2 went to of the Pornbe Club and peace-maker and settler of prob1ems at the ;1ub .if they arise. When·she tried to s~ttle the quat'rel the 2nd appell.cmt .. assaulted PW 1- by slat)ping her:,:and the 2nd res:c,0u.lent too ass~~.-=~ PW .1 and stepped on. her when she felJ {ir:,wn:. ,She lost consciousne9S for )2N,r:s :and got ·····---.. .... :. Tr112 1st applJ3te:;.court' s acquittal was -asd upon the preti:Lsc that the .a:;;pelL:1ts should· hav~ ::ft-harged ,.. with br2wlin3 c/s tg (1) (b) of the Penal Code, instead .··of the. :,:::'i::nce of assault causing actμal 1.Jodily h3rGa !'.t·· This wc:.s an erronous holding. At no .tii,1e did the 2 women ., .. " : ,1ho are the complainants PW .1 and PW. 2 ever brawl or :::..c.:·,,. fight· vvi th the two 1:espond1;ts.. The 2nd. resDonci?nt .. . .. . t, . slapped ?W.l and the 1st respondeJtt joined in to .step :-: ,;, <.oh· PW--1- ,after assaulting a nurnber of other people. There . *' .:.was· nc evidenc.e . .fr0m both. s.ides SfiOiAJin.g tha:t: these .. - . . . . . two resi-;rmdents at any time ever fought wi ~h. the two women PW.l,. and .PW.2 •. Horeove:r. · the resr,e;n~~on-;:;, never came ..•. :. ..-·, '· : . . •' .,,. . ·l,. . . ·, .. .. .. ,., ,: . ·'

3 - to settle any dispute but were the cause of the Jis;ute by spitting out spiteful a:Juses and foul pirade to the leader ,;:f the pombe club PW.l the victim of crime The decision of the 1st appellate court was quite erronous;it is quashed;. The decision of the trial court was correct as properly argued by the learned Mr • .3oniface state Attorney. The acquittal of the two respondents is quashed and all the orders in respect of being refunded the fine and compensatidn a!'€ set aside. The two res- pondents Dennie Mwakingili and Vincent Mboma are hereby convicted as charged. The sentence passed bythe trial court and order of compensation are all hereby reinstated. If they were not refunded the fine of Shs.3,0OO/~ paid and the c01c1pensation of Shs.10 1 500/=. paid to PW.l there is no orc1.er cf fresh payment of same fine and ompensati,-m. The respondents 'dill be treated as ' E. . K, MWIPOPO l. t ll/8/9fJ> c-•- M'iipopo, J. . t: ' . JUDGE 11'8/1996 Appellant: D.P.P. - Mr. Nangela, S.A. - Present 1st Respondent .Jennie Mwakingili - Present 2nd II Vicent Mboma - ~sent ,- t/C-. Mrs. Hponzi ,. Coup_: Judgement delivered. - ('), r ' _ l~~_/\ E. MWE 1 0f'(; _ JUDGE 11/8/F}]G