20011029 TZHC Moshi

'.·L~--- : . ,/ #·r , • ! '::~\ • •,. ; ~ • - i IN,. TP',J!: ·HIGH COURT. )_:P , I ' ·. • A'J:' M~~iI-II ..... 1·~.-· ' :-· DC;.; :CRIMINAL APRE~b)I;··,110 r ' . 0 92)200·1 ·,, 1 ..? 1:,'ORIGINAL :;,·.::,~ CRHHNAL CASE NOo 3 OF 2001 -. #JI ~IS'1'RICT GOURTo Vrso ; ., . ; .-REPUJ3LICf , -~ . ~. .. ---~ . . Q O u i> ~,::-- w O oO Q O o <, <, 0 _.,.,,..~.---~.....---- O ,; O . RESPOWDEN1' .. ------ THE HON: E.N . . MUNUO, J In Hai Dis~ict Court Traffi_~ Crimiria..J,. Case._ rI-o ~ 3 1vf 2001 · the accuse<i Yusufu·Selemani was charged with three Traff~p CJ:1iminal, counts. namely;- · ,_, . , COUNT 1 : Causing death through dangero:us driving of a mot.or .. Vehicle on· a pub~ic _road c/~ 40 (1) and 63 (2) (d). ~-- .,; of :the Road TratrH, Act Nq_., 30 of 1973., It was alleged that on the 24th January, 2001 . at about 12 .• 30 . hours ·along Sanya. Juu Road at Kobol·o area in Hai District within Kil_imm1j~o ·R~gion, being the driver of a motor vehicle TZN 4522 Toyota Hiace PoSoV., the:•:: accused drove the said mini-bus. on a Public road· :.. · dangerously at. a high speed which having regard to · all the circumstances of the·road the accused drove dangerously' failed_ 'to contr~l 'his vehicle thereby . veering· off· the road ·ap.µ. knocked down a- pe-:.destriah :: one Anna· w/o Jak~ofr· 10-a,ti~:ing her death .. COUNT 2·: Causing bodily inju:bi.es. ithro-ugh dangero·us driving c/s ·oo (1) ~d 63 'c2)' ·c;) of the Traffic Act 30'of : . ifoo · • . 1'973., In' 9ount ' 2,•,:•c,0'#!3equent to thci fatal accident . . ~ , , . '· caused bj .. the accused in count 1 7 the. accused also · · .. ''., ·. 'knbcked do~ a pedestrian one Ndenengwaboi'a'. w/o , :; ,::''Charles ,.ca~irig her suffer bodily injuries .. tc/ u , .. . ,,· QOUNT3; Driving a mo~o~ vehicle ot1~· thtt public ro·ad "without a -,·:'. 'driJ:ing/.lic~~ce: .c/s.:5'~ 1 (a) ana?163 (2) (g) of the Ro-~d '·Trafftc Act :}io. :3 . . . ·. :\~- ·1·973 :i.n that at the same pla.ce·; . ... ' : :_; : . ,-.: ·, ·or. ob,, /2 - ---------·--- - 2 ' - hour,date and on the. same road as in count 1; being the driver of Motor Vehicle TZN 4522 Toyot~ Hiace P~S .. V the' accused drove the said mini bus without a driving licence ~.t::allo The trial court convicted tha· accused as charged in counts 1,?, and 3 thereby sentencing him to:- : 3 years imprisonment in count· '1-: · : Shso 10,000/~·fine or 1 year impr.isonment in default in count 2, and : Shs 2,000/= fine or 6 months imprisonment in default in count 3, - ' ,-,,.... , though not ordered by the_ trial, c(i)ur-t., the· sentences shouJq . : . run consecutively, The ·accused paid. the fine vide ERV 128.32773 ' ' ~- ' ' - dated the a1/5/2001 and proceeded . to serve The sentence of. ' ' imprisonment without option of fine.: in count 1 o Subsequently the accused enga6 ed Mr.•· Ao Shayo · learned advocate to challenge the conviction and sentenceso Hence the present appeal .. Deposing on cnw the fo.tal accident occurred'i PoW .. Ndenangwabora Charlesj the victim i:J:l.courit 2 stated that·the_ deceased in count 1 and herself.'.:were~·-wall-dng . ' on the right· sid•e · . off the tarmac on their way to Sanya Juuc, , Sh~~ looked behind - ·· and saw two vehicles travelling :i,,ri ,the same direction~ in .f.t'ont · of the mini buses were two motor cycles o >f;he s·tated "tha_t th12 accused's mini bus· veered off the road an( ran over themo .She • • •-'•' • c" • • was admitted at· the KCMC Ho$pi t}.~ .t>:" :, '!.sys .. ·· The· late Anna ,- Jakson was hospitalized for a,Inon,tl} at. the ·KCMC.but did not ~ .: . \ ·>:.. ' '- ·< ' ',,,.' survive o She said the -accused ap-~~o:J,ogized to her after the -ct \ accident but the people cautioned h-i~ thaf he· had· killed, a . --,- .. -0 ' ' pedestrian. Another pedestrian w;qo_:;.Wq.s- ..run dot·m by the stray .. . .. . ,.••· mini b~s deposed as PoWo ·2··-Kanaeli, Polifa corroborating the evi-• dence of PoW._ 1o She' said: that_ s_he ·fiuffe ~re·d· injµries on h~.r ., right hand, ·face and ·,·right leg .. p OW o 2' stated that' the po).:ice, arrested . and questioned ·the accused. - who was . driving . ·the--mini . bus at the time of the accidento :The accused said that the dri- ver of the bus was at Sa.nJP:~u.,u.. PoWo 2:,tendef~d her PF3 form as . ' ·,1. Exh. P1 o A traffic officer, ·p oWo 3 WP- Claudeta stated that at abourt 1.00 Pomo on the material· day the traff:i:c p·olice at Bomang'ombe were informed th~t a fat.al· accident had oc·cured at g_oboko whereby 3 pedestrians had been-, knocked dovn1,, . 'f'; . '. went . . ... t·c/ ,••: . the . .. scene>b"f . . ·~cci~:l_~ht~::wh~t>~)3hE! . ; : . 't.. . . ·"' t. .,. : , . f,c. .. und , .' ..• the vi~~-ims of 1 '1' ' • 1 th~. acc~den~ 'had been'·ru-sh~q;.~to··}(:11,)ong: 1_6to. hospit°al ~. 'si1e ,' drew - the sket~h -~hp of the ae:c{d~~'t:,~-i:E±h ;Jji,2:.0:i.n the -:-:,res_ence ot' the ·.: :·· • , ..... -:,;:;' •..?.. •• :.,r·;,:-•· .../:.::.~:;.•.: ... .. . accused who had been dr}'!iJi.g:; fai-e 'bt1~- at the time of the accident wer~ 0 She went to th~ .KCMC. ,'she found the deceased in a comet. .from• which she never recove)i~~: The motor vehicle which caused the accident w.as.:d~l~. inspected by the vehicle inspector per the inspection report Exhi~it R3o PoWo. 3 stated furthermore that the accused identified hini~elf as the d;\j_ veI' of ihe·. bus ·when the .fa~al accident occurred but that he had no driving licence She had 0 the accused sign the sketch map of the scene of accident, Exhibit ... P2 .. on A t:r:-a.ffic o.fficer 9 · PC Michael who was/patrol nee.r the scene · of accident testi'fied as P~\,fo4-o He stateq.i that he 'was at a'·nearby Kioski when he wafu' ·alerted by the accid~nt alarm.. He. went to:. the scene ,@d _fourtd .3· wom~ri pedestrians .had. been 1 ·nocked dmmo' ·ire'·,· • · · · . ctri ver w110 drove the victims to looked for~aAcibong'oto hcYspitq~- using t~e-,accident mini bus., He }:-:.· . ..- ..... . ;;·---:- . .. . . ' .--~ thereafter issued PF3 .forms to·Ithe vi'ctim~f(.per :Cxh Pl/- &' 5 ,.' .I P., wo4 ••· t;"'" said· he did not. question the a.c·cused but that the traffic· p'diice nsi ted the sc·Errie 6'f accident s.hortly after the ·i.tccident .. · · .. . . In defence the: accused opted t0 remain silent a..11d. he called no witnesses for the defence~ r · ; , ; i. In _the: _presen,t appeal Mr. A Sh2.yo le,3rned advocate contended --that.the- ac~u~120.::;~s-r{ot.\11e·pJf;;.,5n driving the min~ bus so he '· ·.· · '· · . . . .. -,· .· .-. ·. 8lo.imed · · . did· not cause the _fatal acc·id€?tit .,·:· The:, appellant in ground · · .· .:1 .. ·-·--i ... ·:.· r . -.-•...... ~ . . } • · 1 ~ · · one of, the appeal that the bus·J own.er had .a:skod ·_him to .plead guilty • 1 • ' to th'e chargeo He pointed-out· that i1on2 :)f the ,i:;i tness.es so.id he wa·s· the• pel"Son driving the bus ·when th::- fatal accident occurredo The ·appellant's ·counsel _fal~ltea-···the trial ma.;;;istrnt.e,. .. . for convicting , .: the appellant on-h~a1,1say evidence saying the ingrcd~nts cf the offence wer; not·: pr~_;ed s; the appeal shot11d be ali~wed., . , .:.: .. ::- . . . \ > . . Mr~ Kakolaki lear.ne.d - ,.St$.te ·~ Attorney supported the c· rviction :. and sen"tenceso H~ contended. tllat the appellant· idGntified himself as the driver who causel;the a~-¢~ident saying he has no driving · ~'-• · l , I licence. He furthet argued, :that since~ the appellan¢hose to rei;1ain silent in his de.fence, the trial court rightly drew a..'1 .adverse ' inference from his silence. On drawing an a<tverse :Lnference .f.r-om the appellant,.1.s silence, the appellant's advocate subl'!li tted that the trial court ought to have recorded reasons for drawing such - · adverse inference against the appellante 4- The appellant chose to remain. silent in his c-:ofence" · 1.riJ.J. ~ .. issue is therefore whether the prosecution established the guj.l t · of appellant at the required sta.ndard, that is, beyond all reaso:- , .. . • L nable doubto There. is no sp·eck of doubt -that the accused wa? driving .the bus which fatally ran_ 9ver Anne ,ir/o Jakson; the vic-f?im ~n ,~01,l.rt .: 1 and caused injuries to enotber pedestrian P o_Wo 1 Ndenen.s:rw,1obo_1~?- w/o Charleso The appellant admitted the.same at Page 4- of the 1 typed proceeding when he cross-examined P .. W.. 3 WP 2352 pc·: Claudate; II XXD by Accused: ·•--.u-~~ r .was sure the.t•---·you wer·e . . -.-..-~~---·--·.,•·• the one -•·•t-W-.",t_,._ ....... ~ - - K- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , - •• driving for-..7-0~ t..9..~d :__£1~ that wer-;:: th~~ driver you and you drove while you had ric driving l:i.ce11ce" 1.· RXD by Pros: Accused was present at the sceni'.'] and he signed ( the sketch map 1 T<;xh. I?2).; 1'. ., f .,.., The appellant's contention that he was not driving the bus which ran over the 3 pedestrians ;is ?- . mere afterthc,ught fer he had already admitted to P .,W .,3 ·tha.t · he:_was the dri ve:r ··which was why: he also signed the sketch map j Exh P2o Per his own -admission,· he was .\·dirving without a driving .. licenceo That the a:ppellant drt)Ve da:hgei.;ousJ.y was established by ". · . _ Ndcnen01,,,_rnmbor,~, 811':1.rles the surviving v1ct1m.,·f .. li/.,'l -- ' who deposed-that :. . : . : the '1C.CU.ncd Is ve.:hi.cle .: ' i • . left the. {c.rmc\C . 'r::ad and ran ove·r them ··as ~ they walked off the tarmac and • on the:right side of the· road to ·• . l . '•·.,... . Sanya Juu ... The sketch map· EXh· 1:2· cor;obirates the evidence, of : P .. Wo2 :for· it shows that,. tbe victims were knGck~d do~m at poin~s .. ' . . : . . B ~d C when the bus veered off th2 · 'r )ad, ra..11. do"m the pedes t+.'i- . 1 ans and halted at po:i.nt .D com~·letely. off. the tarme.c road which .... from_ the sketchmap was 20ft wide.. In short' the appell_ant f~~Jed . 0~. . . to -control the mini bus, drove. wi thldu~,· care ·o.nd attenticm'1 . _. _ , , drove dangerously and at high_ apeed:. ancf ca.used tho !~tal accide:at.• He must halle, been driving at high speed beco.us2 aft.er .k.n~ck_ipg,._. ,· down one pedestrian at _ point B, he drove for 68 ft,. hefore h-2 . could stop and in between at a_ distance of 65 ft at point C_he r~ .. · over the second pedestrianc 1;1:h~ circumstances c0nelusively establ- ished dangerous driving on the'\t:,art of the appella..71.i;tbeeause per thP inspection report Exh., P3 the mini bus TZl'1 L!-522 h&d no machanical defects before the ~ccidento 000 /5 ., . 5 - The late Hana Tololua the decease··'1 in count '1 suf:ferc:c.1 a .f:ractured tibia/fibula and fractVred 1.~ and 5 ribs,, \le.ngerous harm from a sharp and blunt object., She died on the 28/2/2001 having been hospitalized at the KC:-10 fr,Jm the 2L~/1/2001 per the PF3 forms Exhibit P5 .. The other victim Ndeningwambora Charles, per the PF3 form Ex:.,'J.:U;,i t -=·1+) .su.stainec_ chest injuries, dangerous harm caused by a blunt objecto In view of the above the prosecution fully established the guilt of the appellant beyond all re2.s0nable doubt his opting to remain silent in defence not with standin6 o For those reasons the appeal is devoid of merit;, EoNo MUNUO, I JUDGE, ' . 29/10/2001 A~ Moshi this 29/10/20010 -~ppellant: Mro Ao Shayo for , ~espondent: Ms o Makala for a .I I' 'i !! ., ·~~f-- . ,i JU:i)Giij, 29/10/2001 (,, t \ "-¼I· ... . ..;. ..... ,,.,;_ ' . \ . r. . - ., ' ; , ' ....,_ .' r r ..i - .:_. l I , r·