19700730 TZCA Dar es Salaam

Criminal Appeal No. 346 of 1970 , (Original Criminal Case lo. 758 of 1969 of the Disiriot Court of !ilbeyi.i Distriot at Mbe1a) • Berore 1- W.J • .,.unt~, Esq,., - llef.lident flt gistrata veraua Tll.:J: RE.PUBLIC •• • ••••••••••••••• ., • • RESPO ltD l!:lJT Charge:- Conv•ying property auepeoted to hav• be•n s,oleA or i.U\l ~wfull;r ob·Lained. c/ s 312 of tho Peu"'l Code Ca.P• 16. EL-KLWY, ;1,g• J. - The ... p1,1ell..,u t, Abdul Wuhedi Osman was ollarf;&cl wi tl1 c,nd. conviotucl for oonveyL,L property 8U.1Jpected to ltave been stolen or wuuwfdly obtained contJ:•ury to eection 3ll o:f the Pen::.il Co,~• Cap. 16. He w,,s ssnteuced to a term of nine (9) mont11s in prison, c1.ncl. an order was mau to fo.,·feH ti...c found. prop'-:1rty. lie now c:.pp,;;als a 6 ilinst both oonviotio.ns u.114. sentences. There was evidence whioh showed that U1i~ appellant had eone to Igawa some four miles from .his family' a hon.e at Hujewe<, on 31st Ootober, 1969.,. The appellant toLi the trial oou.rt that he weut ostensibl7 to enjoy himself, and he took his brother's lorry T.DQ 36,4.. '!'hey were, accord.fog to him, four ~ople incl u.d.ing the witn ... ss Elekiel, 'but he FH.id these people h;..d trav•ll.., with him :is be gave taem a lift, but Ezekiel told to tho contrary., He saiC he h.w:i been speoiiically asked by tho appellant to load 12 •mpty J.rwae on th• lorr:1, i.:,nd as such .he t:nvelled on d,:.ty. ~.:nile at Igawu, the vehicle waa parked on nne side of the roi:.d... Ezekiel and another went for (:-in eve.121»-c aeal, and later retu.cnect. to the vehicle. i'he appellant saLL he ,.ent to enjoy himself at a b..1.r u,.d later to a hotel where he d.ra,;k SOL11e te~. While the $ppellant w... t: uwny from his vehicle, Ina:pecto, Mohamed (r•. )li.l), with his team of field. force police officers who we1'e armed, approached the parked vehicle. Accordinc to Inapecto::.· Moh;.illed, it WL.S about 11.4;; p.ia., aact that .ae fow.nd four people in tlH: baok of the lorry. Upon qu.astioni.n 6 th.eae people, after some hesitation, .he was inforaea. that the owner Gt the vehicl• wa■ in the ho ,el, wllare1·ore Inspector Mohamed sent police oonstuble Steph•a to call the appellant. On oei.n. i-.ske ,, tho appelLnt a.ereea. ti:t,1t the vehiol• was his, u11a gave his ndnie «s .!bu.1...l Os Hi.ill• t~heG fi..li'tner askud, he tolJ tke pCJlice oi'.ficerG tL.ut he wcis carr~·,nc 9 drumB of par:d'fin, anu. 1ill'•t he hcd. eought it fro111 Pir111obctlfted (P. w.5) on 30th Cctober, 1969 and wher1 he was r.de4 abou.t th.e reoeipt .b.e tolct. the police t.b.ut he hwi it at .41s home, but he wae •oi stm·t; to hi~ ii.OM to collect 1 ·s. Instead he was ta,•:en to Mbeya police ataUon. B11't the apJ,Jellc.J:lt agreeu to e>HOw tue &aiu police officer the pe.raoa t.roa whom he h;;.d bollgllt it,. t.U,. the appellant took Inspector 1•101lumed to PiI'tiiOhi.UUell at Rt.jew,.. , some l'our miles :froin li{i.'i.wa. tlowav>Jr, Ir1.spe~tor Moha-' •aid t.ue u};1>ell,,n1i :f'i.iiltht to s~iow him the p,.:rson who sold him t.i,e piira:rtia, aad f'u.cthe1· told, hi11 lie hall no receipt fo1.• it. ,\m a reeu.l t ot thia, the police officer suspected th.::t the appelli.int mich-i have obtained -t11e oil ulaw.fully and he therefore i;i,rrested him,. The;, drove back to Icaw.:,, w!1ere the J.rwas - 12 in all, 9 oontuinine purai'fin oil m~J. three empties. Cn \he same .nit;ht 'iLe appellunt was driven and hund.ed over to lhey~\ police. fheJ a1·ri ved at 5.30. a.11. Aocord.i.ng 'to Inspector Leo (v.w.4), who to:1k over the investigu'tioa. et this oa•e, be took a cautioned atabmeilt from the appellant. 'l'his t i • appellt.r1t gave his name us Abdul Atli.ur.Hitti .-.n.d in 'tll.a seconJ. statement the ap)>4tllwit s~id that his n.:,.me w,:.s J..bdul ,1tihl;),t Os,.,..:.n. The appellaut c.dlld tW tJia, M was w:1c.1.e1• tear, ru1d that his truu nu• watt Abei.ul lfabed 01.mi.~n. Ca ta• •taer llu.tl taere wu evici.eaoe to ahow that the name Osman o:r Othaian is v.a.ri~ •"1t, wia. therefore ihe ct.ui~c. t::1 of i11e two names irorn Oelllan 'to Athwtu.i &ad baok to Osman ia aot impo.1:tanc in itself., \ \ . lffl , mAc one of -;.tie f'uctoru 11h.if}h ini'"luonoed the learned magistrate wt;~~ he w•• co:rnidorirlg t.he expl1mations l{iven by ihe appt,ll1mt... lrl the fir'i!t pkrt of the st.:.tam.:nt the a1,i.,eE1i1,t 1·epi;?at.otl whli4t he hn.d told Inep.:a,ctor Mohamed. the previou21 11igh ..i;, and mentio!!ed thai i1e had bour;t.t the p1.1.rr,1'fin tro,n i'ir:noh'._med on JOth C,ctober, 1,.69, but Pirmo:.mned deni(ld th.,t ,,e i,~·.d. u;;il..t 01J.ct~ pur.:..fi'in ic tl-l.,il u1~polL.l,t vn 'l;HO dv.te f!!tated, al thouga he ad.mi t-teti t.b:t th ... f"llit11ly sornstime D bou.t·h t th ..dr p ..,ra±'fin f1·om hia nt.::.ticn. 'fho ,lpjrElll(ll:l ~&a~ bi..~k. ,,r,J t'~•-V" r,dditioM,1 tJ1.uteime.nt in ~)'!ich he t;aid hie n<1me w:..tc Ahaul ·:ahid. Oaman, and that ttu, n~tH .!bdu. AthWflani, wllfoh ho h;_,d. jui~ .. gi ve11, w.;1r... t!:i;;t 01' hie orotiter. Uo turtt1er e"'iel thr.t it wau not tr•..:.e tlu.t be lioUt:ht the said oil frote Firr.,onar.ed and thnt olthou.s-1'- ho drove the vot.icla .itli t.ue li.rw.is of par11ffin, ho "thoutrht" the uru·:10 were the property or the 41.ppellunt. 'l'h~t"t<: t~qr; no doubt that the :t;Jpoll .?n . ht,.(.1 amcte tl,rld~ sttlto--enta, iJ' l ui.,., ver1turo to call tham. 1fbe t'irot ono w:.to ·tbe e>:~·,l. ..ioatic'>t; gi veu to Irrnpectt)r 6'oha111ed at th'-'1 t.i.r110 of hia ar.:•e:st. 'ihe soooni.. st~dom$itt, wu11 t:.a fiI·Bt pHrt ef thl'. f!'tnte11eni. r.1-de to Ira:pectc-.r 1.00, <.r.<l tne ihi.cd .Pi..~·t ie: the 11uco:-Hl ,?nirt or th:, nt~to,11,mt me.. e to I:-"npt)cto.r Leo. .:lnd th"' ~~ppellant- ag:Ned thet he hud macto c.U i:!.H.H.. e atui.e,·.;ant1. .ii.rstly ho a~ld \hs-it. ho WMI frightonod. - !Ulc:. thio was not denied - bJI l~is cncom1ier with tho police. ,:oeond.l;y, he nujtl en .ho ·.tid nc'!. 1•1rticuL1·l,Y i~now who ,Hu 'ti,~ ownor cf tho p,d.~,1fffo whieh w.--.s J.ou~ed. en the lo-o·;;, ue ''tho1.tc,ht'' v~r1.)un brothers of ni~ owm.'d it. ;",bJul -~t.hu..!.ni (D.~.l) denitH1 OWliit'\~ it, b..:.t ..,Ju,.nlcEtr Gnmun cldimed t~~t thuy ~~re niu, but the tri l co~rt diobuli~veu him, I may,. at t.d~ otn1.so, sta'to tnut t!.& burden oi' proof is on M aocutlod pernon to i>;ivo u .r·1.rn:..;.in~blo explanatLn an to ho;-, he camo by th~, property EJt.::~pet:icd t;; 1L.,Vo beei:1 5t ol~r. Ol' u.nl..tn ....ll;y \,:.i t;_,_iue~t ,,4~ thut thie bu't'E!Cm of _prooi' iu nvt ..ic.w::; C!~ie (occ i.~ ~.~\., •• ~l.,l v.~~. 1)63 ..... ,. p.;w:., .-:nd aii.m1...: a/o J.S.iL lV v. ~t. r:.L.~ (.i) p.36~). And i..ti.rL tht: stu'i.Olfl::!l:t tu be CO!H.:i.:i.orod b~ tt.o tri,,.t co"'1·t ia t1,;,.:.t whicl, ~-wich hu r.1l!lke:s iu court i.e. W:!~tter ::s,1t~h :rt;;.te,;.(lnt i;J..iUO in court, u!H1 no'To any !.iLciement whica .i'1e migl\t h:we inn.do to any ;.;r~o al::.e (illol..cllnb u. police officer) 1:1s tuo d ... t:;' to give !Ul expl.~n-.;;ticn do!ls no·,; &rir;c until tl.e ~ce;.u.;cd ili bu:i.oz:·~ u.e court. (see tpry J. i:: :~Jt. ·:ci :I :-,l~l v. R. 1963 ,E.,,. ..t i">• dlOj. In ooruudering Gt,.te,:v~n·~ ~i vc.u b t?-,.-, ,Vi;~lL :·.t in Co.:.rt, t"ie ~ tAA""rShi,,f}t ~owtl :- "Th 1.cc;,.i,;;1J. is 110 .. cl ._i udn.., ih .. ~ ·t.;o 1;ru11etl util on,.,e,i t,: hio bro-the.,., Dut I'i.,bt .roru t;, tim" of i..itJ ,.rrest, .he td! ,_i vcm ri•> ,i, •. ;i;y co11f"l ic an, n~ ....de u _ 1...; ~- tuo.,o dt•t.iau. Ho oziid. they bel ,,1 __,cd -~>hir.i ·_,;. ..:;. ho could ,.:,uo;v ~ •• ,.; reoeipt t-tnii tl.c fe ~~.-10!! who :.mlj t .,.em 'io L;ir!l. Tl.on he cu ...ht, J. hir i.:.tvrJ, tto r.::.~mc ni"',1.t -Jal a:;.iJ be 1:~d no r-EWei11t a:iil t1.:uJ.d. uot µoint bu·. . (':') to ti_ bellt:r. 1..,'-?1 the :o:.lo .. i.,tJ :11or.llll:·, no lu;. m.. J.e co,,f.Lioi.L, .. Lt~.to,x.H:~,f; .. i. t,::r t,o ifoU c,.,.,.titm~ 1. :,;u(: won .. e.l-~ ifuic;l. oa~ 1,;:,..._l ... L:C 1....... e .:t .. 11. ;tO i:: li j, O\L"lC;;:~ju.7:tov--;;·'°◊ • G~.z-~~--:::-:r: fldd ILO .t&~Svll .for fe ..~rin. t1.e ;,ollco. I.r h.. diti. not .not. w.ilu1.:w bsroi..i..a t!ut ,,.-,o, t •. cn !u;; chould h ....ve a~id co to t,11:, poJ.ic e. '.l'hcro is n.:. ovide.:·ce of ar.:: thr-01.it;. on him b~, t!.P. polic.e". '!'hit, ;,.we,.•r,a in m;y vie;~ die~ ·U:;..t the lo •. r~·;c,.;. ::il!l,.:i1.;trutfJ lt.:,(~ con:Jj.dex-ed a.l.l ·ti.~ v-,riou.~. t:.t.:i.tc:,e;;ts ti:e nppell ..."J.t h ..d ;,1e,de ,:;;,t vu1•io ...1,; tini .s c1nd plt-~Ci!u .,,:; if ... t till tiu!H,o ~•J...ce, t;,e :.;p.,:el.L:,· ~.;u 1.:w.i.er uutJ to .give ex1>l,t;1i:1tion. Ao l h.~vc e:i 1d 1 hi::: dut~, t,~ t;ho ~~1 ~c;o;; ,fi ', whicb c .uld. t,.~ 1·cut;C1n..i .;l~: ,iu true :10,~a 11< 0 ..:..•ii::;.:. ::..:i.tii ~•••!;'.!lL.u-:11. Wtte bi:. ore tho co,.1t·t. -~ . oin tH, leur·:ed. m,1,,intrute appe ..~r,~ to i1,wo bea1: u1u1ble to 1aakc up l.ir. ri,iuc.i uu to w!Jicr. ex1;1Lu... tio.:1 Le i..:.:-.1 ._;.Jin .., to consid.e1· .s the appelL,n·i;u ~.xpL,r1a.tion ..:s it o~ be ceen fr.:.,;:. t:·. e woz•ds" one wen.iern which ont c -~\Lt be tr,:'1"• ,.. r,in thiz ;;a:rn.~··c c:on~li4irrn d ittis:direc:tion in tL,:..L it s'-',~d-eut1, -~,•... t t.,i·,l l~ar:iacl mc.ttintr&to ,1a~ luoa1:.l.n.: f0z· M accc,,111t .:ttich "co.lld 1>t1 t ~· .. e· 1 wum -r.hc ap_polL.wt' s du.ts h: only to be given an f'ICC04t,t w11icu wiL:.·t bo reusmrnbl~1 irue f.l!ht \iu,ich is co1o.i1,iote1t-t wi i;~. i,tn.:,Cf.)rl't l,)Y1.:-so;,.1u:a.0~1. ',.'i4'3 lcrnr.~ed illrAt;;ia'tr..i.te, 't.1.0:rel'i>rc, erred wla,n i!,c con:.ido:red ~U t ,vr;~ at::..teltlt)n'tu togetu1lr • ... \ .. , __ ,,11at "the learned ma,g·i:::·~r,rr,e :::hould not have considered. ~c., 3 tiie'"".t:aricur; stHtementG m~-:de by the QppelluwL to the poU.ce:. 1:l1he::.1e would have been co.nniderecl w~ien tes"ti.11;_; the appellauts nccount. As the:, le,,rr18iJ m gi:strt.te mifzdirected himself in thir:; !llftnner-, this cou:rt o,.,nn:::,t Bay tnut the 10ur·ned mat,;istr.::te t~c,uJ.,:l .n,.f\Te C(i;,1e to the conclusion he di<i had.. He .conr;idcreGl t.lw statement in t .e litht of the decisionG of t11hi t:our-t, i:;;:;peci::.1ly the decision of Kiondo fI;:;_mJ.:::ii v.R-. · "6··3 .1lal~.21 ly '"' A ' · · 1 P· ,)_iict._..!'!! " I 1l~~-~~_!:._11:.;:_. ~: ·r .· · ·•· · - .-; lt:'<c•7/Gr .., ")--;-30 t;,b L..!L ·ii.• u.1 •'+ ' 1 I1he lo,.. :rned OO\Jsel t,1ho r,_1•guer.l the liPl-'eo.1, uta ed th.,,t the uppcllant h:~.d l'loii ;;rnnly expl:.,.inect why he lB.<l mad.e no m,.,ny conflicti.nf; .statem0nta \ \\ but he hud le~, stron{J. evidence to .sho~l that in :fact tl1e d.ru.mr; bebo.nged /.,' I\ to the fa,mi1y of tho appclL1nt 1 anu. i.n JHi.rticnlnr to £hanker 08r:li.m. H.0 \ eubmi -tted that i;he evidence of Shan.leer a.ud Ed~Hn'd. w,,~ '\,H'onf:,l;y re;jec·ted by the learned magistrate. It seems to me th.:,t there is a mB.tter lH:rgel;y of credibil by of th1:: 1vitn€HJMs - whether Ed1trnrd i.\.flJ 011,U:.ker .should. be believed, or not ,~l tI,m,:gh, prot)2.blJ;, I would ha,ic couie to a different conclusion from that of the learned magistrate hud 1 been in his posi tio11 at1 it a,11)eo,i'f.l that the evidence of the ·two witnes\3et; would ;,,.ppear to be qu.i te c1•eciilllc while thnt of Exe.i,J.el d.oes 1wt uprear to hi:lve beon quite conviucint;·• If :Wxekiel h1:1cl been ·k:~.en on Lkty 1 as he cLd.med. in Court, then it iH ,.!.iff'icul t, to Llnde:i."atand. why he d.:i.cl not go with tlw lurr-y when he S:J.id. -the 1,n•ry dit:iappeared for so:i1c two a1h1. a hal:f' hoU.1:'L\ before it .,ent h",ck: to the place uhe:ee it ,v..u, fourni b;sr the police, lfoHev,n· 7 tdc court woul,l .not be ;justified in su.bsti tuting i tf; own vie1.-,,s :for tk.tt of the t:eL,l cou.:rt since it did. not htnte the beuefi-t of listening- to th.0 wii;ri,eiJs-es speHk tilthou.gh the ,ppellant is entitled. to lrnve the appellate 1 i;: oo,u·t' s oi-m consideration and views of the evidence ;,;.i,; ,:t whole c1,Hl its decir;,j_on thereon (. see DLJ.iCfi:H.tUI tl,,;,::KlU~'iHh:rl' p_;,:!DYI. v. R. l C,..7 -,~,ili:J1• :.,,-;2.!..., · . .P• .:,,2J6')• - . For the stai;e,1 rem,ous, the oouviction ifJ ,1u.ashed nnd tl..c ::.-JicH'ltence ;;:md or<l.er set cl Side.· r11h0 12p1,el.lc.111t is released uniess l:eld. on some ot~ier 1 m,iful pu:.··pose • Deli ve.rea .in Gou.rt at Ila1' os Si.:ilo.am, this 30th d13.y of ,Tuly., · 1970. , ►