19940330 TZHC Dodoma
- Citation
- 19940330 TZHC Dodoma
- Status
- Judgment
- Jurisdiction
- Tanzania
- Court
- TZHC
- Decision
- 30 March 1994
- Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Appellate
- Language
- English
More details
- Court
- TZHC
- Decision
- 30 March 1994
- Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Appellate
- Language
- English
On this page
Professional case brief
Research organized from the available case record
01
Holding and result
Where an accused asserts a bona fide claim of right to property, even if mistaken, he lacks the requisite intent for criminal trespass, and the criminal court should not determine ownership but refer the matter to civil court.
Court disposition
Appeal allowed; conviction quashed and sentence set aside.
Orders
- Fine paid by appellant to be refunded.
02
Material facts
Parties
Amani s/o Saig
Appellant Counsel: Mr. MbeziThe Republic
Respondent Counsel: Yolire MwambeAmounts and remedies
- Fine Imposed: TZS 10,000
- Imprisonment Sentence (months): 12
03
Procedural history
Posture
Criminal Appeal / Appellate
04
Questions and positions
Legal issues
- 01
Whether the appellant was guilty of criminal trespass and malicious damage to property given a bona fide claim of right to the disputed land
- 02
Whether the criminal court had jurisdiction to determine ownership of the disputed land
Party arguments
- Applicant
- The appellant claimed ownership of the disputed land based on a prior court case won by his grandfather and asserted a bona fide claim of right, arguing this was a complete defense to the charges.
- Respondent
- The Republic maintained that the land belonged to the complainant and that the appellant's actions constituted criminal trespass and malicious damage to property.
05
Court’s reasoning
Legal principles
- 01
Penal Code Cap. 16, s. 9; Lyanga v R (1973) HCD n. 305; Re v Mohamed s/o Salehe (1979 LRT n. 32); Fajidi s/o Jurefa v R (1968) E.A.C.A. 158
A bona fide claim of right is a complete defense to a charge of criminal trespass; criminal courts should not determine ownership of disputed land, which is a matter for civil courts.
06
Ratio, limits and disposition
Ratio decidendi
Where an accused asserts a bona fide claim of right to property, even if mistaken, he lacks the requisite intent for criminal trespass, and the criminal court should not determine ownership but refer the matter to civil court.
Obiter and limits
- Trial magistrates should advise complainants to file civil actions to determine ownership in cases of disputed land rather than proceed with criminal charges.
Court disposition
Appeal allowed; conviction quashed and sentence set aside.
- Fine paid by appellant to be refunded.
Source and reliance status
TZHC · 30 March 1994
This page organises the available record for research. Confirm quotations, current status, and subsequent treatment against the official source before relying on the case.
Judgment reading view
Judgment text
The complete available source text.
TZHC
Judgment· 30 March 1994
. -...' ,./, IN 'IHE IIIGII cou;~~T OF TANZANIA AT~ · .AJ:PEU, -TD JV.:.JSDICTION C:,;JJ,ITN.AI, ..ll'F:JAL HO.
122. OF 1993 (Frm the deei'1i02:l o:f -the »i~!G>'I ~ - - c£ ~rcida, District at Singida In Criminal Cs.se N•,. 239 r,:f. 1992) - :Be.:fox-e Fo~• ,_ ~~sen.git Esq., Dist:d~ot ~ t e . ~JAN I s.l.D) • o,. .. o • " • J.PPIXLLalT versus T.El]J :.-:]lF(J]}LIC •·• • o • " •• o ,. ..1:'1...sfQNDDN'l'
JUDGNENT ~ c,p1>ellant .Atmm2.11i s/o S2.iq. -was charged z,nd convicted #,f two offel'lees by ~~-e 3inc;1..c:w. l).istr:tct Cou:t>t.. ·Th,Q 1'11.'~t. O<llai- .ro,s. ~ -0:i.."iminal,. trespass c/s. 259 (1)) of the Penr:J. Coclo Co,p. 16, 1-,hile the 60QO?ld c.ount was of Lla.licieU4 damc,c·~ to prope:l'ty c/ s 326 ( 1) of the :F ena.l Code Ca,p.
16. Ile was sentenced ·::, ·Shs.10,.wo/= fine m_, 12 months io1_:,:i:'isonraent in :ces:peot ~f each COl.llliio Us;.ng the ~ervioe of a11. advocate· Mr. ll'Ibezi, ho is now appealing t~ this f ~ . The.,lteyu.7:=lic ":"l'cl,S. l;ep1:~ 2q a. St...:.te A t ~ y Y°.l:i:'e Mwambe. W'.t12/• hs.iJI>ened was thz;.t the:;:oe was a di.spu"t-4 ~ ~ ovmerehip of a piece of land. between the c.onplainc.nt Yu.suf'u s/ o Ally ('.PrT .1) 2nd the appellant. Each 11c~s clelting to be the ~,mer of t..11.e piece of land in dispute. In fact the ap:vell[nt adduced evidence 2,t ,the triaJ. to the effect that between 1958 .... 19(j~ 'the:re was s, case in ociurt in respect 6f the piece· of la.nd in dispute bet-ween the ~.ppellmt 1 s cra.nd.fetth~ named Ngoll6 and another person 9 md Mr• !150110 won. Since then that land has been the prope:rv of the,appellant•s clan. ~c:r: on 1/1/1991 ,the c.j_)yellant believine tJ.10 lE:.nd in dispute 'rhc,t becani:D the s1:,~ ;j~ct r::atter o:~· the two offcl1.•'.'.0S of orii:~inal tespa.ss and nalicious dan2,Ce •;;,) :7:co;porty• 1':.o-lcl t:·.c:,t on ~ie evid.e::·\oe avo.ilable on ;;.~aco:.:d, tl:e lc;.:c~ in dispute 1)(~101'1:.;s to t::.1e conplain2.11t ii1.d so the a.ppelhnt wc:i,::: s, c:.1::'..Dinal · tresra.s·sor ,.:.nd 1:ns dso e;uil ty of 1:.1.c:J.icious damage to prol)erty" 2 Ti.we: md G,C,all1. th:i.s 001,u-t has reiterated that rib.en tb.e.acou.sed, _ in
essence puts u;p a. ~~1~. a cla.i.m of .rif;llt, tb.at would be a ~ooplete defence to the cha;t•g-e of ;;rimina.l. i.:i.•cspass" T'..:ierefore rihere a person exercises a right 'iilu..t ho conside:;.•s to be his 9 thougb. m,istakenly so, he cannot he said to ho;ve tl: ~ intention necessa:ry to bring his act id thin the offence of. c:d.mjnaJ. i:respass - see the decision l,y this court in L.yanga Vrso Rs ( 1~.r) Ilc-CoD no 305 enc':. the case f'f Re Vrso I,iohaoed s/e .§a.1.ehe: I 1979 L..;t:i.!!..!?-Oe 32.. fe1:- s., 9 o:f the P~~ Cr,d~ _gap. 16 puts ::U :1u.i le t~learly :;_a,·t a• bonafide irrt~fthe accused is asserti.lJ.e 2, claim ~f right to property that belong-0d to him is a complete defence to the charge of criminal 'Q:'0Sj:'.1SSo · It was not with.in the province of the criminal nov.rt to determi.L3 ~.o ·i.v ·1bo is the owner of the land in disoute., that job should hc::,ve l ,, :1 tra.."ls:fer:i.'cd to a civil_ court. T',1e tri, : Llagistrate sl'.ould '..1~,ve acquitted the a;_ppolli.nt on "both, counts 8..1'1d 2.c1 1Lce the com:plcinwt to file a civil suit to determine as to vzl10 is an ht': "ul 01mer of tb.e l;:::nc:.. in dispute., 7Jlat observation uas c,ivcn 'by Sddi. 'T$ (as he then 1ms) t,s fElJ'.' bc:ck as 1968 in t,.'½.e cs.se of .?aj.di sj o_ Jure£._-,~ ~ .. :a~ ( 1968) E .. C.Dn., 158 1-lhere he st2,ted that in a c.1s0 o:f c:i'.'imincl. t:·, spass 1 if a
dir-;,rte arises as to the mmcrship of the sb.ould ad.vice the , NJplainant to file 2, civil ,:,ction to. determine the question of 0·1me:rSJ. ~-:P nf 12.ndo I ho:pe the lez-:rned trial me,[,"istx'a.te will tike note of that ": ,_·,:c:t.;:::·,t O:x,,L·v _·,tion., In the e~ c:nt this appeal succe0ds, I allow the a:::_1p0a.l. The conviction is quasb: -~ 811d sentence is set 2,side., The fine w:uch was paid b the appellant s; 0 : .J.d 1Je :..•ef'u.ndecL to t::.10 said appellant., 1 O:,:der accordninf;ly. A ttol':rloy foi· tte _,
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