NA TZHC Dar es Salaam 5

TN 'T'HF. HTGH r.mrnrr OF 'T'AN7,ANT A A'T' DAR F.S SALAAM CRIMINAL APPF.A[, NO. ?.7 OF 1. q96 PTT, T SA'RURT . . . . . . . . . . .. APPLTCAN'T' VF.RSUS 'T'HF. RF.PURT.TC: . . . . . . . . . . . . RF.SPONDF.N'T' R lJ T. T N G -· ----·-- ·----· ---- -·· KAT.F.GF.VA. •L. Thi.sis n rul.ing ·in rP.sper.t of rin r1pplir.rit:i.on for hriil by rin ,H-:r.usP.n ch;:irgP.c'J wi t.h murdP.r r.\s 1 Qfi of t.he Penn l r.orlP.. 'l'he accused, a fP.m;::i]e, is ;::i clnss six pupil, rtgP.o 1:l yer1rs. 'T'he par.t.j cnl nrs of t.he c:hnrgP. nl l egen t.hnt. on ?.7t.h d_riy nf Mrirch, 1998, at. aho11t 18.00 hrs at Mwenye Primnry School, Ki.mnmhn village.- w.i t.hin Kil osa Dist.ri ct..· Morogoro Regi.on .. the 4':lcc:used c'Li.d murder one Krtrim s\o Ahdr1l.lr1h. Mriftah, Advocate represented t.hP. applicant. while Kahis;:i (Mrs), St.rite Attorney, rippertred for Respondent. Republic:. M:r. M;:ift.;:ih vigorously ;:irgoP.c'I t.h;:it t.he ;:ir.r:ll:=::en hP.ing ;:i r.hi.ld she should not. he mi xeo wi t.h ;:inul t.s ;is per t.he provisions of 'T'hA r.hi.ldren ;:ind Yonng pArsons Orel. C:;:ip. 1.1 ;:ind that. therefore shoulrl ·be rel erised on h;:ii 1 ;:incl put. nnrler t.hP. custnrly nf her pnrAnt.s penning t.hP. he;:iri ng of hP.r c:;:ise. Tn ;:in P.qu;:il l y strong c011tit·.fn' Mr.f>. Ki hi s;:i r1rg11P.d t.hat. unilP.r s. 148 ( 5 )( i:I) of t.hP. r.r-i mi n;:il ProcP.nlirP. Act. murder is one of t.hP. offences whi.ch ;:irP. not. bailah]e, ;:ino t.hrit. this ;:ipplies equ;:illy t.o ;:idu1t:=; ;:is well ;:is children. S. 148 (50(;:i) CPA providP.s, "A po.lice offir.er in r.h;:irgP. of ;:i police st.;:ition .. or ;:i cour.t. hef ore whom .;:in ;:iccuse<'I i.s bro11ght. or appP.,irs, sh;:i 1 l not. ;:idmi t. 1-.h;:it pP.rson t.o h;:i i 1 , if - (a) t. hat. per son is nc:r.usP.o of nmr<1P.r or . . . . . . . . . " 1 From the clear wording of the srii<l provision of the Jriw, T nm afraid, and with respect, there is no rnom where Mr.. Maftah'R contentions can he accomodate<l. The provision gives nn c'Jiscret.ion what.Rover. T do apprer.i at.e that t.he nccusRn iR A young girl_. ;:in<'l that the society shouJ<l st.rive tn shield l1Ar type ft·om the otherwise clest.r.ur.t.ive Rnvi ronmAnt. of a r.emrind pri i:::on but. once chargec'J with mur<lP.r shR c;:innot he rP.1 P.ased on hn i 1 under 1-.he CPA. Neither r.ri.n the chi l <lnm nnd ynung pP.rsons Ord:i.nance, whosR assistance was sought hy Mr. Mnftah, pr.ovi.de a leRway Under that. law, S. 4 which provides for ha.i.1. for childr.en and young persons under 16 years by police officP.rs hnrs rR1easing those charged with homicide. There :is no equ i va lent. sect ion conr.Brning· a situation once such suspect (cha:r::-gP.c'J wjt.h homicife) i.s brought before the cour.t, but reading thr1t 1.;:iw t.oget.her. with the CPA makes i t clear. that once charged· with nmrde.r, notKithstanding the fact t.hat ar.cusec'J is r1 young per.son nr r.h i.1 a, he or she, r.;rnnot be released on bai.1. Tn the premjses thA application cannot stand. T shnu ld mr1ke further ohservr1t ion. Tn the i'l f f i dr1vi.1·. in support of t.he appl. i.ca t. ion an<l dur. i. ng the nr;:i l submissions j t was established thr1t there wr:is ;:i quarre 1 het.wRen dBr.easA<l r1nc1. r1cr.used emanr1t.jng from childrP.n jokAs which prompt.ea ;ir.r.used tn h i t deceased with a st.one lRading t.o his c'Jeat.h. T wo11ld ndvise th;:it·. investi.gati.ons be expedited so that the full r~cord be r1vail.ed to -the Direct.or of Puhljc Prosecutions as soon ;:is prr1r.t.ir.ahle for his decision as to whet.her the pn:iferr,,h1 B charge sho11l cl he murder or mr1nslaught.er. AS cirr.11mst.anr.R::; s11ggP.Rt.ivRly r.ovP.r any nf - the char.oes. Tf hv ,- - chance t.hB DPP der.i<leR on ;inv the lnt".t.er charge that would qua.lify the ar.r.usP.c'J fnr br3i1 r.onsioFn:-ation. T hr1ve ;ilso r.on::::iderrAd a possibility of put.ting ;:icr.11se<'l in Home r.e~and at. nsm ;:is there is nonA ;:it. Kilosa. T havB however r.efrained from mr1king such, order ber.auRP. T ;:im convinceo that. that. wi 11 go r.011nt.Br t.o r1r.r.11i:::eilR' i nt.eres1".s. Ti" lllflY r:iffAr.t. t.he ?.