Director of Public Prosecutions vs Awaichi Masanwe (High Court Criminal Appeal No. 161 of 1990) [1990] TZHC 351 (28 December 1990)

lN T~ HIGH COURT OF TANZ!i.NIA AT .ARUSIIAo f.PPELLATE JURISDICTION IIIGII COURT CRIMINAL APPEAL N0.161 OF 1990 • c/F CRo /u'Po N0.64/90 OUIGINJu, CRIM!Nli.L C.ASE NO. 13 OF 1990 OF TEE DISTRICT COURT OF lJHJSIIA DISTRICT AT }JHJSIIA DEFO::IB WAMBURA ESQ 9 MAGISTRATE, CI.J.SS DISTRICT MAGISTllA'l'E ,TEE DIRECTOTI OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONSo O O e e O O O O. e O ofiPPELI.J..NT , VERSUS

• . AlfAICRI MASiUf.Eoooooooooooooooooooo•ooooeoooooo•RESPQNDENT JUDGMENT M.D. NCHALLl. 2 J. These are two cross - ap;eals·' Nos. 64/1990 and No. 161/1990. The two cross· - appeals have b~eh consolidated. and heard together. Both appeals arise from original criminal case No. 13/1990 of the Court of Resident Mae;istrato at· Arusha in which one woman by the name o:f i'~waichi Masa.we was charged with and conVicted of threatening violenoo o/s 89 (2) (a) of th0 Penal Code, Cap.16 of the Laws,; The .particulars a£ the offence as they appear from the charge-sheet that was filed in the trial court a.re the followingi- "That Awaichi d/o Massa.we charged on the 15th day of December, 1989 at about 1.00 p.m. at Majongo street within the Municipality, District and Region o:f ll.rusha did threaten to kill one Halima w/o Masumayo and her son Amiri s/ o Masumayo such a manner is ( sic) likely to cause a breach of the peace". Trial of ~~e accused, now the :',appellant in. criminal appeal No. 63/90, proceea..6:Bains.t her on the alleged offence and on the particulars as above quoted. The accused/appellant was ultimately convicted. of' the offence and was givon a cond.it_ional discharge lasting for a: period of three·months under section 38 (1) of the Penal Codef Cap.16 • ••• /2 ••• : ,

Tho Ro:pv.o1.ic w:1,s 1.igg.;.7:i.mr.od with -tho cond:i.-ticinal -discharge that was imposed on tho accused. Tho :):Lroctor of Public Prosecutions ho.s app0aled against tr,,i.t rndo:.:- :.n Gr-: Appeal Noo 161/90 which has boon consol.idatcd vritb. n.ccusGd'S o-.d:tlna1 appeal Nao 64/90 'and I have heard then togo·th.or,. '1 1 h,~ :O;Lrcc.:tor of Public Prosecution 1 s main gri0vanco in the. caso :ls ti:mt the sentence imposed on the !;l.ccused is mani:festly lenient in view of the circumstru10es of the offence and tho tender ago of one of tno complainants, one Amiri Masumayo, who is said to have boon aged about 8 years at tho material time. Mr. Mwidmi.d.a, . . loamed State Lttorneyf who ri..rguod tho appeal filed by the Director of Public Prosoc1.1t:Lons subm:i. ttod that the accused held AI:dri by the neck with both hands and .sq_ueezed him,, Th'is act by the accused could,havo resulted in the death bf th0 child Am:i.ri had it not been for the. assistance and!'.',..,,,,_., .. offerred to hi°o promptly by two fund.is. who .were near tho scene at the house· of the cor.iplainantso Mro · Mwidund urg-ed. that thes.e circurastanc0s are serious and N-~r: .•·;:;. "f•i t.· -. , they call for a do:errent sentence. · Mr,,' Mwidunda argued that the effect of a conditional discharge is tha.t it is not· considcred·as a; previous ·conviction iri .future cases for similar offenccso This is so under the provisions of section 38 B of the Penal Code. Mr Mwidunda subnitted that because the conditional discharge that was inposcd on tho 6cusod was not offoctivoly deterren, tho accused has repeated doi.ng actions at the house of tho coraplainants threatening peace.. Tho accused is a tenant in the house of tho oonrpla- inants where the alleged offence :in this case took pla.oo., Mr. M1·ridunda filed an affL:a-.--:.- in t} 1 ':.s A.ppc/!.l whiei."1 was sworn by the A.rusha. O.CoDo ono Vincent S~~ to su:pport the c:ll0gation that after tho accused ";;o,s given a conditional dis charge in this case, she went back and resumed her threats to tho faoily noobors at cor.iplainants 1 house. Mr. :Mwidunda s1 1 bnittod that a cooplr.int to that effect has been no.do to polj.00 by tho oo::::i:plaine..n·t;s 1'1d tho said cooplaint has 'been registcrod as Ilef..,. Nb,. ·ia/m/ 4839/9 at 1±.lBha CIDt s office. \ \ \ / I 1

' M:r. Mwidund.a cqncedod that the ource of all these problems botwoon tho accused and .her ;-landlord one_:_ A:u Mas'UL18.yo is · a ¢113tJI?.dersta.nding a.ti.sing out of J!tonancy ag:t'(J§IDent. The accused· is . a:. t_1?Af1t of Abdu Masum,yo in th house i'wher.; '; -yno. ffdnco in this ca.q took placo. . . . -;,.. . , . ,. ;.... .. - . Due to the tenancy ·e,grooi:i9nt(disie 1 'ti0twoon the aqgused andher ,. , •.\·. . . landlord q_uarrels haye- :'freg_u~ntly bcciurrod botwee.n .the accused and • • , ... • . ·-.-· • ·~· ... - •• ~.:-- 1 •••• the members of -~bdu·JP,c;:1.S1,lI¥),yo' e f.atjlilf' to which ·.the_ complainants in this ca bol.ofig.,-;· ·Tho .a:tifci;; ~ -lf"lod ·by the Direcpr of Public ........ ,, Prosecutions which··:aas::pll swrn by i.he ·OoC,D ft"USha is inE>ndod. . . .. _ .• .. . .. ~ t. .. . ::,,,· ~~.. ~ ' • to novo this court-: on.;appe,4 to na.ke'..'a,h ordei;--.:6£"·-0m.ction against . . ' the accusea/appellant from tho h;\l50 of the complainantsw ; . .,. : ·. · __ ---:'!-- :·- . . n.:<-· .. -·· ... J ):·•. ·1 .. ,, :•,·· ,, • • , -:_, p 1:1 his subnision.¥r.•.-. l:{ibo?learned advocate who acted for -tho acousoa/ appellant ;•.ar@ld:··tht}t :thprosooution ovidon~ .. 9n_ which the .' trial court based its. -o'nvi-tion ·was contradictory and tho;f oro lackad:: .... ~ ·:-: • • •• • p • .- ~ j .r. :.: f .!' o:redibiity; .. Jl.tornativey Mr. Kinn.be a.+gued t_hat tho.cirCUlllStrutoos ·,.,, ancl background his_to:cy of this 0. a±q<:r.iot serious at all.· .TiiJ ' incidc.mt'·giving :rise to tll:is' ~~- eftted:·u:tf'ras a sqμabble botweon two minor children, l1El.0Qly:-;{)1.bd.,.{ one. of- the copplainnnts and . . . - ""'•"'' • • • ·,· l. • . .... tho ninor child of -thOi:" D.CCU$0d' - 1 -This-r-tlabblo betwooh z:u..ior phildxen . .· . . . ·: . ,, .. ·:-, ..• ' i _ coupled with· tho long l,as.i~-.i:ifiliirtiitdi'ilg .on tenancy rigfeor.icnt . ' • -;,· . . • • • . ! 4} • : '1,, • ~ . between tho a;o:cusod and .h;r ia.nd1ord ·a.a.ab~ salt to what was already .... - ' . '. a sore wound. ''Tho ],and.lo~~:.;- Abl~' ?.fu.sunay'o had filed an application . .. .... .. . .... ·'\· .-;~ . . < . . in tho Ilogional TI;ow,sing ril at .Arusha to oviot the ·accused :t'rom ,r . • • -;. ·.!) ·t.!~ ~• ~• :: : . his house. The appl:i,~tion wair'No., .. 1.06/1988, tho saoo was heard and . dismissed. Abdu.·_&,,,B.Y,:f., :f ealcd ~inst: ·the dismis to tho National Ilousirig Appeals Tri·r1lo/:·25/1989 whic4_ simiiarly dismissed tho ' ;J> .-. appeal. Thereafter 1i~~il;l ,}ae arose. Meanwhj,le -1 .. 'l?J:u Masur;iayo has appoaid to· the Ili@:¾-fP.W:i: ¼a,inst the dccisipn of th~- Housing Appeals T:ribunal., ! .TJ+e,.a:ppoal~._has boon registered as 'i.4isc. Civ. Appeal No. 9/199Q,wb.4ch. s s1\1_1 ponding before tho Iq.gh Court. a" • • J O O O •? 0 ',j••• 0 0 Under this back gr!)~~ -9: circuostancos, Mr. Kinabo argued, it mis quite jt' and '.prpor, for the tria:l•.-.cou:r-t to ha.vo imposed a . . ~ ' : ~ . conditional discharge on the accused. •••/ 4 ••• ,· ...

gg 4 gs Mr. Kinabo further submittod that the Director Qf Public Prosecutions has acted with,bias in tμis case in filing an affidavit , ' : sworn by the OoCoDo seeking an oder o this court in a criminal matter to evit the accused from the house. of th complainants. Such an ardor · can only be made by a oi vil court in a. civil case, tl),a.t. if;!, an applioa,tion for eviction duly filed in the Regional Housing Tril under the Rent Restriction Act, 1984. Moreover, there is a.n appeal ·panding bof'oro this. court on the. sa.t10 subjo·ct tiatter.-,. This orir.rl.nal court. has therefore . no jurisdiction to make an evictia.n- order against tho a.p_pala.nt~ • Moreover, tho matter is sub-jud.ica. In deciding these cross- appeals I havo first sa-rio':lSlY oonsidored, whether the trial of tho·accusod beforo the subordinate court was proper . . ' . , and valid •. I' havo already quoted the section undar the Penal oode under hich tho alleged offence was prcfrrod. I haw lso set out tho parti- oulars of the off once as . arc . contained in tho chargoshoot. The p...'U"tioulars of the offence are -aqua.to as they do not desoribo -pho a.ct of tho acousod giving :L'ise to a breabh of. tho peace It is not sufficient in lmr to ooraly state that the accused th:roatcned to ld.11. It must ba stated in what manner the accused oxl1ibitod· his or hor '~tfa.,.!,• Moroove. iooking a.t tho particulars o:f the offence charged o.s they appear in the .rgosheat.tho same do not a.groo with the edients of tho offon und~~- s.cctin 89 (2) (a.) of tho Penal Code, cap.16. It will be of' advantage for mo _to reproduce · the provii;;ions of scctioh 89 (2) (a.) of the Penal Codo. They a.ro tho followingg ~ "l'i:ny person who - (a) with intent to intitrl.dato or annoy an.y erson throatenet ,to ,- .. break or inju;re ruv; prcmisos; or" •. ,;j It is quite evident frot1 tho above quotod·ingredionts of a.n·ottenoe . ' under section 89 (2) (a) Penal Codo that tho J)articulars of the offence in tho o:hargc·ana. the evidence that was adduced a.t" the trial a.re qui to at vn.ria:zice. ther th; cl:uμ-gc was clofooti vo or tho ovidcnoc that was adduced did not pro -th chargo tha.t·was proforrod against tho.acouscd. _,, .. •·

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g : 5 : g This :!.I:". - serious o:rror of law which 0%1'.lht to have boon rcncdiod before tl10 accused was tricd 1 o:r, at .i..cast, before she was called upon to IJa..c hor defo:nco,, Tho onission to amend tho charge has occasioned a so:rio-u,'1 niscr1,rriag:, nf ju..qtice on tha accused/ a:ppollanto Tho o:rro:i:- io for that reason incuxablco Tho resultant effect is that tho pocoodings before tho trial lower court mo hold to bo null e.nd void and the sane arc hereby quashed•• Tho conviction and sontonoe that wore :po,sscd by .4c ·.rial lower court o.ro horoby,mi; aside. It ... ;/::J.: is advised that the Il.epul)lic· i{ so disposed may file a frosh a.t1ondod cl1<.".rgo on ti1 ~~·cr'uSed/ aj_)~~ilnt · on t4e sane' factp and transaction s~ • - • • J., •, that the cc.,sc rny be l10ard do novo., If that· l1a:in>e, I. order thn.t. .. .1 • tho case on a frosh amended charge shall be hoard.by another raagist- ato j_)rofo.r.n,bly a Sonier j),osidont Magistrate. It is ordered accordingly., In tho circuostancos, no party is declared a winner in any of tho oross-ar:peals which a.re horoby·'struck 'out. ffit.i18- 28012 1990. · .. . · · l Corami- MoDo Nchalla, Jo ',1 • . ·; i .: .... ;... M.D. Nchalla, Jt.IDGE. or AJ?J21,;t.~tg- DnPoPo Mro Lundu, Stato l.ttornoy. For ilcspondcntg- Mro Kinabo, Advocate. . : .. i \

.CP@\D 1 .. ·. .· · . ~ r. t· ,.. . -,v.,, r.· co t t '•!"''" "'1 . V .... ----• .T\Tht \tcitv,/,I1i 1 1i:bt1J•;t -t:h- in . i4.; pGOO :o~~'.i;hoipai'·t1-cs: ·tl1:is'·tlii28ih~~~Yi:/1'~~~~bo, 1990, . .. . . ·. .. ( . · . . Rt of''appoil ·OXI>la.:tnod., M.:b. Ndha.lla. 1 -· - •, '" :i).28.12 1990 I her~.gy· cert ityl_#iii~ t··f li~ a ., . " (r.f.L.,K .. Kannonyel~)' DISTRICT REGISTRAR, ARUSH.A. .• ' .. .,