alphonce so mbuya vs republic 2002 tzhc 2062 11 march 2002

I K S I S HIGH GOUHT OF ICANZAKU • AT' KBEYA V .APPELLATE JURI3DIOl'ION , . v. {E3BYA REGISTRY) (DC^ CItMIKa L APPEAL NO. 119 OF 2001 (O rig in a tin g from Mbozi D i s t r i c t Court Crim inal Case Number 162 o f 1998) *ALSHONCE S /0 MBUYA.................................................................AP?3LLAI"!T VERSUS > THE REPUBLIC.......................... ................... RESPONDENT JUDGMENT rlk CRANJA9 J > ‘ •' , The a p p ella n t and another jjerson were c o n v icte d o f bein g in u nlaw fu l p o s s e s s io n o f a f i r e arm c /s s 13(1) and 3 1 (2 ) o f the Arms and Annnunition Ordinance, Cap. 223, as amended* Each was con seq u en tly sen ten ced to seven years im prisonm ent. The a p p ella n t was a g g riev ed , hence t h is appeal, Mr. Mbise, lea rn ed a d v o c a t e f i l e d fiv e grounds. In the f i r s t ground i t i s complained th at the learn ed t r i a l D is t r i c t M agistrate a cted w ith ou t ju r i s d ic t i o n in s o fa r as the o ffe n c e was an econom ic crime „ Mr. M bise, lea rn ed cou n sel, subm itted th at the t r i a l cou rt a cte d w ithout ju r i s d i c t i o n because the o ffe n c e o f which the a p p e lla n t was c o n v ic te d was c a te g o r iz e d as an econom ic Offence A ct N o.31 o f 1997 which came in t o e f f e c t on 12th December, 1997* Since cthe o ffe n c e y/r.s' a lle g e d ly committed on" 31st J u ly , 1998, the consent o f the D ir e c to r o f P u b lic P ro se cu tio n s was a c o n d itio n p reced on t to the cosmiciicemerit o f the p r o s e c u tio n . Mr, Mwenda, lcc.m ed. St&te a tto r n e y , has conceded th at the t r i a l cou rt acted w ithout ju r is d ic t io n * I have m y self Xoerused the re co rd o f p roceed in g s and I am s a t i s f i e d th at indeed the p r o s e c u tio n was commenced w ithou t the s ta tu to r y consent o f the L .P .P . i t fo llo w s th at the t r i a l cou rt a cted w ithout j u r i s d ic t i o n - The i r r e g u l a r it y has rendered the e n tir e p ro ce e d in g s, the judgment, c o n v ic t io n and sentence a n u l l i t y . The appeal would su cceed on t h is ground alon e. The appeal i s a llow e d . Consequently the c o n v ic t io n i s quashed and the sentence i s s e t a s id e . The order r e la t in g to the d e s tr u c tio n o f the p i s t o l , Exh. P I, s h a ll not be d is tu r b e d . Now, on ly one o f the two c o n v ic t s has appealed. His fa ilu r e to appeal n otw ith stan d in g, the c o n v ic t io n a g a in st him i a a n u l l i t y ' > s'■ no v er the l e s s . In or dor to re d ress the i n ju s t i c e thirb has been rendered by the i r r e g u l a r i t y I do hereby r e v is e the t r i a l c o u r t ’ s judgmentj 'c o n v ic tio n and sentence by quashing them a l l . | Unless the c o n v ic t s , Alphonce Hbuya and A n yitike IivVakasege, be h eld fu rth e r in cu stody on some oth er l e g a l l y j u s t i f i e d a ccou n t, each o f them i s hereby s e t f r e e . . Be l i ve re d« \. / \ sgd: J.M. llACTMm ■- -.V . £\ ' 11/3/2002 y , y Jippe iia n t ? ,. In-tfe r06n. I :r : Mbago7^Pri'ncip:.’, l State A ttorn ey : For D .P.P. C e r t ifie d true copy o f the o r ig i n a l Judgment. V < * ’" ‘ f /' DISTRICT HEG-13TR.AR l^BEYA