Malaki Elisante vs Republic (HC Criminal Appeal No. 243 of 1988) [1990] TZHC 588 (24 October 1990)

.. ... --: ~~~- )l ·,:, !:3A¥J:½rtt!,1f.r:-¥ti.-:.-.ttiH·,.,. .. \\ ~· ~ sc:j._ . - IN THE HIGH COURT OF TZ.ANII\ JIT ,RUSHll. ' APPELLATE JURISDICTION • . H_IGH COURT CHIMIN.I\L /,PPEJIL NO. 243 OF 1988 ' .· ' OIGINA~CRINAL CASE NO. 82 OF 1987 or THE. DISTRICT couRT- oF SAME DISTRICT /IT SAME, BEFORE: NIMKAZJi ·Esq, P/DISTRICT iAGISTRATE. .. · ( .. MALAKI'ELISANTE -·,' THE REPUBLIC .... · ;;·• MKW.f!W/1 1 : ·Ag.· J. · . ' ................ Versus ',.-·,.: :r. !;r-;;~ .•. .... • ......... . JUD G.M ENT: . APPELLANT · RESPONDNT . . . . . . . ,, .. ·;::'1:'P.J,$., is an !)~~al against ·0..Qnviction and sent'e-nce ori a charge of steaUng"'by Public ,sevant o/s 270 and 265 of the Penal ·coae_ • . The appellant in this caSE> ·was repre.sented by Mr Kavut:a an advooati 8 1tl"il_eh\D.tWon1be~'ft.i 1 1i \ 8 %en!o1-e~\d A orney •. ' .. ~ . . . .. :,- The. faot·s, of his oa~~- ar.E!- simple and straight for ward., · :I·wnl theref,or.E" .set QU- the .. undiputed faot·s within a riarrw oopass·- '!'he main evidertot> a11st ·the' appellant was given b~-PW4 SHYC' the t,..,-nsport . officer a.nd PW5 MKUJI the. driver; I will now begin with the evidence of PW4' .w~~ch was to the !ifeot hat on December 10, i987 thiy left . MBJ"liiatW,,: 0 ~ mlss.iln. ,to Maind·o vilae -h'ioh is·, it- Same .. D_iatriot .. Th, ' • t. . '• ' ·, mi$siQn ·or assignmen.t rtfther was to repir'·-· eaatfpilar whioh had . . ,..·•· : .; ,,.,;,!I : ·... .-. : - . . ~ ,· broken down. It is oQmmon gro&lntl that the_.=.applla~~, wh_q was t?tt leave a, \he Mterial time nd 'l.as predig t,o Same_ tl1 h,to t • a~ 1 kfd · t~ t: • • ' ' I • .' ;, • I f. • • ,· •,.. , I • ~ ,f • -1ttt·;"tt-olt\1»1 . ,It ·:1-s._-in t~ ~"/'l:d$nd1·:· of fW . .'4,::•th1t· '=het •rrivtd 1i· . , , ' •••:-."'('w\ .,,, .• •;,.•'!,...,. . ,: .. • ~ ~~ . • • • <, •; :. • ~ I , •J . ~ ,c;s..,:r"':,:'b"'··4. 1 '::~~-ft!'.!i~t»':iia- nit-{N~~ 't'h'e ,~~e ·nia11101i ·toinnilriii ,.,•• ..;:-• /:•,•:~~••-,,."'ill'/\•'°';••.:: •••>•,••••:";.;'";/,!.':.~~.:-..::T'';':-ri.••._•.:: •:-..•·l;!. 4 ••,,·,,.·- ,-•:\•. •t{•:•••l'- 4 ~ '\I : : ~ · -r :at·:n1·..-t"11i.y':tfoldd tio.'·Qri1w:·o'.•Mif_i:na\i~~~1f:'.'gtf(; :;..'4t:·_M,a.n~~. \h ;,,.,,,, 0 ,• •• • 4•"'"' .~ • • I ~ ', •--••"' ,\ -.:.. ,• •• t"'•' ,1,:,-;•..._ •, ... h • ••• • •• ' V.' .,..,,,... ,. ... i.9;;}iti~ .:p_tu1i~~·:·st1'i--;f'etl;t;·ig•· th·gefeot_iyt,·:-cti;rpillff/}/ ... · --.,. .. , ~ •,i .:::,- .-:"i'.•\ • •• ....... ~ .:-•• •' .- / ,',(~ • •, • ' ) •'""-:- • ,JI ":' (' •• ;; • .. ,;.?.._ 'J ,:1.,.t:: • • • • • , •: •j• o • •, 0 l.':i,r-1:f. ._ ,'.t;.. /: <w ;"" - , 1 . .- · _,:tut:~~·.J.~~~Ji"B·~~1. f-).\i'ali'-e:,"ech_t~~. deli<i'e<L1to top t'fiew(?ilk .end . :·'-·).,£' ... .~~Vt.:·;-<.'\····..-:•;:'·.·•• ::,:< .. : 1" ·'· .... __ • .-:,.:.~~-·:-·,,.-?:1.• J ~ . _., .... ~~-:.;.c•·---··.· ·:-.c -: 'r?Pl~{6:'<?/Q·.gnt:Jfti} --wi;-itrlt ti1e'!_ 9~~;:~~~: .-t~~~: fs:,o~~•Oli,irt: ~~y"'.·:A/?!··ppllant . ~to·, ",1:.t~~fl -i!i:nr,· -~~j- st·;JY'i~~lhr:·.¥.i~{·•;AJI-.ifa::hiY-r1/i11ii~~~1'~ piaee 'D ... · ... , 1 :.,• .i .. i .•.• - .:;.,,1,' · 1· . · . ,Joi •. ' --1(.I ... t -0f dsnati.oii. th-e.yi{nw ,ef·'oii"-i°br .·11.t: :.:h-be' tillage;.:·. ,-:it' i ~ in t'li/:\J·- \ \ .: :i -rc.:: -.1 .·· • • • • '.: ··:-)~-.: . 1 ;: .• ·,;7,;;·? ·-· .... • ...... '• ,. ,-.. > --.ur:.t'.r-:l . '"·"'t., . t'tid:e~~~ -ot·P-14, '·hail ·-tn t!:'e p:r'.e:ss-: .. ati~ tj.pon.iut' by i--the· app,eilll ,.i.•: :•1->-"\ •.J ._ !: . • ·r..;,; .. __ :.:,..:.,.J"-- ,...__,. . ~ ... . . , "'·trt. r'-•·· Vi!,...', . ;;t'hey si;'(jppe;d· at a, q,l.efc'e ·' fi{"'Vufa :.vii-'1.age whe:f.f' ;t:in•· Ja'ppe'll:'abt' said ii .. ::1.: .. ! .. •:t.l• • - •'"•• ; .._ I.•, L :•: hai:l 'ei'ome UtlJl':!;-;.-.to'''e.'bHect. '·Thereupon, ·the app.llant disembaJ:'ked but • j : •.. :. •• _. .,.:\· !L . . .· , . · .... ·. ' . • ,• .. .. . . , ·-,9thy hdd to:ail:fo him .Sh0Ptlj'.laier·~~e ppellant returned with . . .,. '•· '• ... ·.. . ' ••• ·' ! • : . ,r - • • . /··,. , f\• .. · .· ...... _:.;: •••:••••••••·••··;:.t~./2· ~•-•o •• • , ~ • • .• ,,.. • '" • I ' • '·t .•... • : j. .. ··. :;. .. :., .. • 1 ~,,. • ,!,· . . .!..''·

certain .youths carrying, no~.'.: 4 _ .t,;l. 9 ei~; ,,.1ater 1'•• The f'ai~ oioes ·when then liaal?led(Qtlto tI~ -htc:le nd--t.h--P:_c:x:eeded :·:'it1hir journey, They could not rach their destiiadionbecause their ;vthI'6"1e s:t·uck in the mud and_ as. it· .w;3s already afte~, d-ac· __ the; -wre· compelied. to p11t up for the night ih the ill_fated ~~n~~~e. On the following day they . ., .. - . . managed to manoeuvre out of the mud and heade-d to -the:ir deetnet'ioth On their way• they were sfopped 'b.y te a.me ,Pistrict Commissioner who· . - . .;.., suspected hat the pipes they wee carrying were stoen items. They were then under· arrest and .were. 9rdered to go to the a·m ·P.olipe Stati·on ., ~ :· ·. . ·- :. where after interrogation the appelan,t.. \ms detained at _t:he. Sa~~ Police Station and later 0;1 ·was iEEUgn•- be_fore. the Saine District Court. This testimoy was 1 supp·o·r·f/d'by ·PW.5: who· on the' 'material· chy was the .. ""<:/ . .,: driver of the vehicle in que.stion.. .. ... •::--·: • . ;.;.· . .- · •fo• ... - .. : . . . ; . ·:-: .. .. · ·· ·. ·, . ,The appe>llant. ·in his· a,efenqe, s ai·d, in eff'ect:, that on the ma.t"ertal day_;-$: 0 'a-,.ia,t·itous passenge,r i~ t{ said vehicle. He admits.t·hat . ,,, , • ; •·· :.:.:Ii•," l' . • .... • .• • thf .-veh,icl~·: trt·opp~-f~:t·:;.}tt.tjf villagE· but ws on the~ r·equest. of the dt'}!"r ,:, .r·· · . .._·,,:.:; .. : :-,.,.t ....•. _.,p";".:/.:•·:•· ·.. .-· ;•~ ·t:- '(_p\t5}'•an'd n·ot(,fi!m~ .. ·· ,He fu:r'.t:he'r·.a·;:ft~ --at he: ·dfs·embarked the vehicle ·,.a:nd a1ked· t~~-.t~~; ·,:fis,ta1fo6.:..-tze:r: ~~-;Y.· 6_.oliected the .four :foU.@ of . ' .. '·. ! -'1: ., : : ~ .Joo • • • • ··• : • J . .... --;:; ,· :'"'I • . ' •. ·. • . . ::-'.-.a·er ;pi~~sr,, flf?.---a:r-ts· t'ltsit ·:hf ,.qY. g;;E<~~w 5·;-: t.he ,,OW: ~~ he :·.-,·.ad · pipes, a helpirig'Bria. !;;He •further stated ''-t}hat"he->_:, 1i1 ,,r;i.ot P,f'I .. to , ·:·-: :..-.-:. : ... .;' ., . .:. . .. .. ; , -~~!-;:.. .. · .. -, .. .. '""'. , --"i_:,.d ... -; his ·home· viii'age·,b'.j;lt:., r,~~in_ed. with PW 4' and.' PW'o5r u'.frcm :reqμf.t o-4'_ the :l:.- . ~ . . ·,'"'r . ( ... : , . - ... \ -.: :t£::.:,-: ·mJ:c·hnios: iwijo-had acc,orqpanied PW 4 an·d on ··tit's i·;/tencEf'.of ,;..h,e lat_ti< .. • . ,_ . .. . . . . ' ·- ,.. .. ~ "(' ' , ,. •.,;. •.t ,',i{i~ alleged th;t thy 0 wante<i him id:,'-Jfst ··them irj 'r,epciil'ing t•h.e ·d:ii;abled c'.t.epi,llar,i ; ·¢h. i3ppet1:pt . ca.teg:;;_i:<;'a:iy:ianiift: ).!)- -h ':'~~~~~- .:if the .. i•; ,; ." .. ~ · .- · d',<.:; ,,.: ... h_•:l :·: _1;.u{:,,c·-!:•,: .f•,;,l•;--.:~~~:.· .. ...-:*•- · --"·;:t--)•i:f:ir--;-:¥·-.;.~ --~ .. -- .- ':t:-·'1 ':!'!,; ipes''.3;i(:qt1est1.on ,,.: . . :,;-'.;. ,;--•a: •·fr:'., •'r•·,:-q;;,,. ,· .. · .·· c•-;'.:. .,. •.· ' c .,,,..,,J·;,t'. ,, .. '._.,{'·.·. ,:·c• ·.>:-:.<·.·l•,:··n,';.::;, ::-.·/_ ·., .'.. Mr. Kavuta, c·ounse·-l f:c,_r. the appf}..lant .i:i,: hla,;/ti;td.on ·_of aP.Jl-al ~ • . . ,'• .·'::.. . . .... ·.·i:- .. r ·-} ,·,. ··:, ;, - .", · .•• :.. ·. ; r1ed eight grounds. Bu.~ · 1,n_. sμpstnce his · 0 grbunds qan be reduced int,· o~-ly tht·e~ 'g}ouri'd-&- :Tl:ie: f~~i/t g;ound · being: tha:i the; ere certain . ,· ' ,. . .',,.· '• . . . ~ ·. -: __ !" ; 1,.!· :: . ·', :· . '1 • . • • • ' . ;; :. • ; •• . .disorepancies .iii" thr:r•·:ev,fd!nq'.~ .of PW4 aria'· 'PW5~ ·-13u:t_ I }l.sstell to say that . . . ... : ' .. .'· ... : :.·. - -: . - . ::· ~ ,' ... ;· ·-· ~ .. --: : .. ·. ~ _ .. o.n perusal 9f" the ·rc:ord .. I wa .. una-bh, :to sie _,the allE:}ged. discrepanoies. /• : • . •.; -"•. . ..... •>t·· ' ,- ·- --~~ 1,·:' •· - : ·._ ;;,i. - ... · :":··· ·- . '.Even ·,assuming ·.for arguments. @tQ· ttuit there were suoh discrepancies • • • • •• •,, ,; I ,t o ' •' ·• : • ,• - • • • • ' • • r : • "t 1... • ' • • : -I am .. 4-nble o ·Elee·'how :th,ey.,.otild e:f:fec·t the subst·antJv.e ·,s.tory,( . • ···:·:;•-:.·,_ ,' ... ·. '.· · ..... • •. -- • ~ -:-.. ....... . •. · •. ·• , .·t .· •• . ·The.evidence given by ·pw4 · and PW5 was ot cna;l.:lene-d, ·iilhd in my .view was nightly aa'mt~~d ahd be'lievd. -s -ia·ibt·: ·t,y' h;.:ti,:ial: mgistrate; ,,, '. . . - '• '• : ·.:.. . Mr. K°avuta further agua·· and s1.1bmitted· that . .PW4 aQ4 PW5 were witnesses ·who had an interest t O ser;e • .AgmtN-n1hhij~~flln · a.i-iegation-is not ·n·{- out in the':rP6orded. e.idnoe. •. • •·• • ·.' • • • : 1!•;~ :-;. •, ~ . < • 'l' ' . . • • '<!':·I ·, • • • ~ • _. -{Hamiss this grond as -well. • ••• ·.,• . to sy th~t this I the.refore

•-·• \ M•:.,• ,): ; • ,t . ,!· ...... · ·-: .• ' ·.·•-· .... _:. The third and last ground raised by Mr: Kavuta is that the trial magistrate had misdirected nimself in findinJ that, Vuje Village council was a specified authority and that the offence against the accused was a scheduld offence and hence covered by the Minimum Sentences Act •. I- respectfully accept this submissioti 9 Then Minimum Sentences Act does not apply Village councils •. The Penal provisions of' the Minimum Sentebces Act must be strictly constmedo In the result I cncede thBt the povisions of the Act do not applyo Having found .that the of'fence 1.c,E>s not :f?<iii~""J- under the .ct I now turn to the sentence imposede The trial magistrate had imposed a sentence of 3 years impris onmento It is clear that the District Magistrat£ would have t ::ken a different and probably s.1rn1[llbiatise1U:c view i:Ilr'-. he was not labouring under. the ;('.)press ion that the offence ~~11ted that was not a scheduled offenceo Bt, I am not persuaded that a 3 year imprisonment term imposed by the ., , .... i1agistrate is in any way excessiveo I do not therefore find :t::"?Hmeti.SJ.ns to interefare with the· sentence imposedo in the result this Apneal fails. and it is accordingly dismissed. -'\ 24/l0/1990 \ J oJ. MKvrn W.A, fig_o J u D G En. 24/10/1990 ·Coram: Mkwawa, t-.g. J.,_ Mr. Mono for the Republic Mr. Kvuta for the Appellant Court: The judgment is read in open court in the pesence o both counsels for the parties. [JM/vm J .J. MKWAW11, g JUD G Eo 24/10/1990. I hereby certify this to be .truf,QPY of (M.L.Ko:onyele) DISTRICT REGISTR~R, il.JJ SH .A. the Original., .,,, /.