19970908 TZHC Tabora

' \~c.Ao&o>"-°'• IN. THE HIGH· COURT OF 'mNZA,NIA AT TA BOrlA • APPELLATE- JUttISDICTIGN ::; CRIMINAL .APPEAL NO. It2/?'5 · ORIG. CR. CA SE N;O• 24/95 OF KIBONDO DISTtUCT . ,: . . . . ·· ...,... AT KIBONDO CREDO SA BIMA NA --~.• • ~ •••••• • • ••• •. •. AFPELLA NT VERSUS ,. ... REPUBLIC RESPONDENT The .. appel1.ant, CREDO SABI.MANA, was charged jointly with two others With .Burgi:ar,V'b.on tr~ry t~. sectioi{2I4(I) of the Penal Code and Armed : .. . . .. . Robbery contrary to sections 285 and ~~6, also of the Sen.al Code. While his colleagues were found. not guilty and acq:ui tted the appella- . _i, '-~ nt was found guilty arid co~victed ~n both counts. He ~s sentenced to five years impris6n~ent b~ 'ti.he fii1:1t count arid \.hi.rty years imprison- ment on the second ~counto•·:.ine . is -./.·'aggrieved · ,_ :-4Ji .. _,. by .both convictions "l.nd sentences. The ref ore· he· ha.s appeal ea.tfi~re. The evidence,for thE1 prosecu~i.oli:.hitthe ~trial' wa,t.hat the acuse of PWI Mldarasi M:i.tanwa was broken Jnto at·r.&o a~m.; .On '30/I/95• lrour bandits ent_:·ed the houso, led by the applicant,' who was·holding a gun. They fi rod the gun in to the air and ordered the complainant to give them moneyo The complainant surrendered shs,r,a,ooo/= cash. The tandi ts took also the complainant•~ Radio ca sette and 1 eft. PWs I and 2 identifiod the appelhnt A.nd othef bandts at the scene through the light of a hurricane lamp. PW3 identified them through the moon J,.ight.. At an identification parade tb,e appellant was also identified. The appellant in his defence denied being involved in the commi- ssion of this offence. He pti t up the defe.t1ce of an alibi which was .o'~l supported by his wifen The trial mgistrate convicted the applicant only on the-eVJ.aence - ··-· . ~-·-- of 4.deni tifacti on. l?WsI and 2 allege to have iden ti~ied the appal1ah,t through the light of a hurricane lamp which they ha:d left on. At night usually people put off lights when they retire to bed. It is not stated why at this .P:l,rticular night the complainant and his wife left theirs on. W.ere thGy waiting for tho thieves? Can the story of the lamp being 1 eft on h'3.ve been concocted to rrake their story bel.!.'fV:1.blo'i If th,::irc was enough light for thu identification thc:n why did PW2 hositato sovoral timOs t~ idon tify tho ori gi.n:i s;~oris{,'cf~CUSGd, pq~son while. she says they grow 1 up togothor at Kak.onko? \PW-3' s>~'tory is' ab.other eJiamplo of how tho pro- socu·~ion ovidonco ·can''~-~ ,b.0.1.n. ,lllj,pufacturod. While FWs I and 2 say ... · th~}· ~-%a-tii1cd tho bandits'through-~tb'.o:lititi:o~-~~e·ia~p PW3 says afto1'< hoo.ring ths crushing of tho 'do;; by tho ''fatullll'.3- 11 stono he. saw th0 b<tnC~ ts inside tho complaina1i1~t'.''n'~i.rse·--:tliroo'.gh ''mw("lnl.i gh~, whon ho was watching ;_:::·~~gh tho window., 'How .ctocs mo·onl'i'ght ,qn tor and 1i gh t inside rooms? Thora ~s a, groa. t po'ssi bili'ty that tha'se stor.t.:is of tho idontLf:i:- . , .. . ' .. . -~ . .' . ~ ~ ' .: ' . .• cation of t~ appol)ant were ::m·orolY concoct~:d-, The appoliam"'is-~·.:~·:- cntitl,od-to ;tho ben~fi·t of th~t::doubt. ~ '-'ils-q_c. . .. ' -~\- ·... ·. ..·.. . . ,. . . .- ··, ; ' · I tb:,'Jr:obfrc· '. .,_ allow this cfp_poal, quash the con.victioris 'and sa.t ... ...,.... ' asido tpo sontonqes on both countso Tho appellant ik to be sot froo imniodhiicly unlosg•held furtb,or .. ,in connection- with so'mo other.lawf~l causosc I Ii:; .. o} l .(.', f ,,rj' ~-,. •• 1 :··· ... ·,. 't-"J