19950213 TZHC Dar es Salaam

.,.-~~r::2~ ·,::;di~:Jf~\_: . - ,.,··- ,. \ L\f TlilVH.'COH COlJRT .OF TA(~ . ,.._. - AT DAR m·sg.~ --~~.... APPELL.il.T1f: ·.nmrSDICTIOl1 t'! .. • •' • . cmm:rn1u, .APP&L iifO_, 18,4 OF 1994 I (o.RIGINli};ciwruifJaL C4Slll rw.1285 OF 1991 OF Ti:IE DISTRICT COU.ffi1 OF lLl..L.i DIST _a:CT J..T .Iqi/uKO!f.r) ··-.·· ~::;~BEFO!@ E.H, l'{fff9ttB3Q,e, ~IDElfr Mi+GI3T- . ' ..... ·. .:;_.. "':.-·.;,,..";_ ~~ -~ . . .. '•,·. ~ B]h~~mt -. ' · m~~-'-cu.sad'" Mioru.EL DE£u.. . ....... ;-~ .......-·(O'r"i.ainaJ. ·--· .: .. - ,. .- .... ~ ,.. -. , . --i:, 4W ., -, VillRSUS - JUDGMDUT 'I'he i.ppellant was convicted by the <Li.strict court of Ilala district \ of def'ilar:ent of a girl under fourteen ycar0 of age contrary to section 136( 1) of the Penal Code. Re was sentenced to twenty yoa:rs iI!lpriaonment. · He is now appealing againot the conviction. The: nomplainant Lilian Kilake, was a yoiu15 girl aged a.bout six yoars•. ;Jho gave unswom atatomont. In effect what she said was that . ·tho appc:.:.:_ant cntir.od. her into his .house at Karakata 1Ukonga area, in Ji~"~ ·listr.i.ot; e.nd he hGii carnal _knou-1-cdgo- of her on 9 Octobor 19.91 at abo1x : 100 pom• She went back to her houno~ and she dic1. not rovoal to anyon 1 what had hap:ponod. On tho follo1ri.ng day 7 a houso girl, PW.2 Sal t.e Mngajo, founo. out in tho ev011L"1,69 t!lat some foul smelling substa.nc · ·,ras coming from the canplainD1t 's vagina.. Sal:ome in:fomed. the comp. :i. nant 's mother PW.3 Jgri.pi11a .Bernard who oxamincd .h_er, confimod :that tho ; .rl had had sexual intercourse uith a man, and she sent her to tho po oo post at Ukonga, and fi~lly to Tomoko ho:;1>ital. Dr.&Jnadhani Mussa. oxa.1 ·. nod tho oompleinant and found that there w::s pus in tho Vagina. . , 2 .. ·Sb.a·. had. been infected-with an unnrunod disoarc. · . -There was further ovidonco that l'W.3 Agri;pina boat up. tho complainant BO. t:ha.t she could mention tho man 'Who had scnual intercourse with hc_r• ..··»rentual.ly, the complainant llaJTicd tho e..p:pcllant who was then e.zj:-ostod:. and ·cha.rgod. ·:· 1· The appellant denied the charge and raised tho dofcnco of alibi •. · · .-: ~e -~aid that ho was at his place of uork :66:r tho w1.aole dc\Y: on 9 October,.··~ 1991. . . . . . . I.' ~() was supported. by two wi tncssos. Ono vras his relative, Ernoatina.,. -1iho :_ remai·nod a··; homo tllat dcy, while tho appellant was wo1~k:i.ng c:1,t tho .Da.r es Sal, 11.m - Into:rnational Airpol:'t, eJ1cl t~.20 other was a colleague,·: Dll.3 : .·Timothy• worked vr.i. th tl10 appall ant at· t~.c Airport for tho 1tllole .?f 'tihat ~ , .. f: )ID morning_ till evening. The lea ~ ed. rosidont m.,>.gistratc stated. in .his judgment that tho· · . ,complainant' t 3Vidoncc was cor:roboratoo. b;r all "!iho prosecution wi tnoso~ Uha,t'· was ·corr·)boratod,- llowaver was th.2,t t}10 complainant ·was defiled.. ' . ' t . . .. Tho.re was tho widonco of tho two witnesses, including the com:plainant's· mother, Prl.3 :~:ripina., and ·al_i,m-Dr~ Re.raacllie.ni, who examined the young giPl and foun·. ~hat _sh(i1iac:, been d9f'i10c1, tp.e hymen was ~_ptured..-and th~- .· was pus ·in the vagin~ , Tho. offonoo was proved. to have boon coJ:1t11i ttod, :.and. . · . . . - . . : t~ that oxtent j tht; co~plainant 's avido.-ico· was oorrobora.t.od by tho. pr6secu.tion :mi ncssos. Thero was, houo-vc1{· no corrobore..tion of the . . complainant's ovidonoc that tho appellant oommittod tho offc...'1cc. The oanplainant. die~ not toll ·i?Jly of the w.i:tncssos about tb.c alleged. o:f'fenco,- -":_: . and two days le.tor, her mother boat: her, 2.nd she mentioned. tt.o appcll~t.:. · As Mr Mtimbwa., the learned. Ste.to Attorney ~1ho deciinod to support . the ·oon:vi,ot.ion., submi tt_cd,- there was no corroboration of- the complainant's· . . <m.donce implicating the appcllant.\fu.2,tovol' _tho complainant said ... ..... · : wa.s_ induced by throats. ' ., • • ·"i. • ~o delay of two cle,ys before mentioning tho appollant~ . . . raie:od doubt ori tho comple,inaat 's oviclonco e:.s to tho identity of: the person v.:b.o committed tho offence. Tho conplaina:at 's. ovidonco. that .. appellant committed the offence w2-s :.i.nducoo. by tllrccts, ano. that ·, ..,. rorid.~ra her wl1cnce unrcliabloo Tho ce.oo of Sb.ahem IIe;:ii,si V; Ropi1?lio- ·1973 LRI' n ... l rclioi on by tho lcarno.1. resident- ra~'istrato docs not · •_.e· _ _..,,. . ~:phlit hor finding been.use in thA,t 02,so~ Mnzavas~ J. (e,s ho then was) " qua.shod tho conviction for indecent e.ssc'.Ul t 2..nc1 said na follo~rsi " In the prcs0i.1t al_')pcal it is not e..t £111 dh1putod that thore uas not e-,rcn tho sliJ.1tcst corroboration· of coraplai11c.-i.n.t • s t estooey that tllo appall ::--nt indece.."ltly MSaul tod. her. · ~uaJ.iy, it is not dispu.tod that tho lea.n1od residont mae,':i.ptrato did not direct himself on the need. for corroboration of the complainant·'s o~idcncc "• Tho ncod for, cor:ro boration of compl2Jn0,nt • s EW'iclenco in sc:mal ·offences has boon 01:1phasizoo. in ma-.iy docis:i.ons of tllj_s courl. It fs equally importan_t for a trial court to c';.:i.:i.~cct its ra.i.nd on tzic n<,:Jed of co;rroborationo In this 02,r.;o, t;.,_cro w2,s 1.10 corroboration a:t eJ.l of t.uc COiil:J?lairtan,t '~ cv·J-;.~~?c that tJ.o a):?clle,nt had commit tcd tho offonco. . The ,complai.riwrt w2,0 an mrclin,ble tri. tncss a..nd. it would be un~afo to convict on :1or (Yv:tdoncc 1-ri. tiwut oo:rrobore.tion. If the app~L:-nt had b0en examined· 2.ncl fou:."ld to hc.,vo vcncroel disee.se1 then: it could be used .80 corro borati.vo ov:'Lc1o.:,co of tllo complainant's: \. tcati.u).c1):Y'o fut there .we..s no raodictl o:i:::..:·1.n5.n2.tion on tho· appellant •. Tho in:roction on the coaplainant oouJ.cl not bo 2.ssociatod w:i. th tb.e ap:pelleJJ.t. Tho ovidence of alibi :put forvrarcl by tho appellant .1_vas supportod by tho 1-r.i.. tnossos ho called.- Tl10 prosecution evidence we.a so woak1 and I agroo with tho 102.l'ncd State L.ttornoy that tho chargo } .. aga.i.nst the ·appellant we..s not proved. Th0 appeal_ i:J allowed .. · T1.uo conviction uhich is not supported. by the Republic is quashccl? and tho s0i.1to:;.1co is s0t aside. It ,is ordered that tho appcl18)1t bo rclc2,sed from custody forthtri th unle.ss ho is At ·Dar es Sal a.am. Datos 1Jth Fobrua~[a1995 Mr,. Mtir,1bwa State Atto:mcy, for tho Ropublic 0 Appellant prcso,"'lt in porflon.