19910918 TZHC Dar es Salaam
- Citation
- 19910918 TZHC Dar es Salaam
- Status
- Judgment
- Jurisdiction
- Tanzania
- Court
- TZHC
- Decision
- 18 September 1991
- Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Judgment
- Language
- English
More details
- Court
- TZHC
- Decision
- 18 September 1991
- Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Judgment
- Language
- English
On this page
Professional case brief
Research organized from the available case record
01
Holding and result
The court held that although the law prescribes imprisonment as the only punishment, the existence of special circumstances may justify a different sentence. In this case, the leniency shown to the respondent was not unreasonable given the circumstances.
Court disposition
appeal dismissed
Orders
- The appeal is dismissed.
02
Material facts
Parties
Director of Public Prosecutions
Appellant Counsel: Mr. Maliba, State AttorneyGidamali Sitoo
Respondent Counsel: AbscfrlAmounts and remedies
- Fine Per Count: KES 10,000
03
Procedural history
Posture
Criminal Appeal / Judgment
04
Questions and positions
Legal issues
- 01
Whether the trial magistrate erred in imposing a fine where the statute did not provide for a fine as an alternative to imprisonment
- 02
Whether there were special circumstances justifying a non-custodial sentence
Party arguments
- Applicant
- The Director of Public Prosecutions argued that the Penal Code sections under which the respondent was convicted did not prescribe a fine as an alternative to imprisonment, and that only a custodial sentence should have been imposed unless special circumstances existed.
- Respondent
- No substantive argument from the respondent is recorded as the respondent was absent.
05
Court’s reasoning
Legal principles
- 01
H. v. Mohamed Dushii, 1973 LRT n. 51
Where the statute does not provide for a fine as an alternative to imprisonment, the court should impose a custodial sentence unless there are special circumstances justifying otherwise.
- 02
Chimera v. Republic (1969) E.A. 479
Judicial discretion in sentencing should not be exercised arbitrarily and must consider the nature and prevalence of the offence and manner of commission.
06
Ratio, limits and disposition
Ratio decidendi
The court held that although the law prescribes imprisonment as the only punishment, the existence of special circumstances may justify a different sentence. In this case, the leniency shown to the respondent was not unreasonable given the circumstances.
Obiter and limits
- Courts should not indiscriminately require accused persons to produce special circumstances in every case; the nature and prevalence of the offence and manner of commission must be considered.
- One of the main objects of punishment is the reformation of the offender, and a plea of guilty may qualify for the exercise of mercy.
Court disposition
appeal dismissed
- The appeal is dismissed.
Source and reliance status
TZHC · 18 September 1991
This page organises the available record for research. Confirm quotations, current status, and subsequent treatment against the official source before relying on the case.
Judgment reading view
Judgment text
The complete available source text.
TZHC
Judgment· 18 September 1991
IN TIE 7:IG,'.I COTflT OF T:Jr;:.~:\lJIA • ~1 T n: ·-- ·r:·s S.lll.L~.1.';j'J,;J. .:.;._.~\. - 0 •,u- IlIG[ COUHT CTIIIillTAL AP?:::AL rro. 167 OF 1907 o:~GIIT.AL cn:rn:rw•.1 C..'.Sl~ HO. 709 OF 1907 OF ::iii~ DIS!ffiICT · COU.i.111' Ol:' ILALA DIS0:I'JCT AT ~S't.JllU JJTii}OiJ!::- n.. life Cill.J:..Il ES(~,:, RESIDE!JT HAGIS JIUi.'J'.J: 1 D.. l"'. p. - ....... 0 • 0 •••• C • :, • • 0 • • • • • • 0 • • • • APF'ELL2U\1T • • ( OilG. PnOSDClJ'l10R) vc:-csua G1d1~.lu.J) SITOO ••• • ••• , ••••• o • • • o "' • • • o • o • o • • hJ~SPOIT..II;i-JT ( OnG., ACCUir.::O) JUD G ].l ENT. '.fuc Dircc·~or of Ptfblic P:;...osccutions is ri.ppoclil)C n,coo.nst sentence which he oon'i;oncls to be incclogu.•.-,.:i;o. 011 llis plcn. of c;uil -'iiy rcspomlont was conv.!.o·~oc1 o:Z sten.linc cotra:cy ·l;o secJliion 265 of "iiho Penal Code and StenJ.inc fron. n. ::1o·lior vehicle contrn.ry to section 269 (c) of ·i;ho Penal Code. lie uo.s concurrently sontcncoc.l J.;o a fine of shs. 10,000/= on each cow.tt,. /u'e,-ui~ 011. behalf of ·llic :Direc-'i;or of Public ProsccLri;ions, M:r. Mallbn, tho loc.rnot'!. St~·Gc Attorney, nssortod tha.t the two ;rovisioua wider which rosponclcnt lfo.s convicted c"!.o no·i; proscrilJc n. sentence of 2inc in altorn..1.-'i;ive to imprioo1mo11-'.;. Ci tine the c1-ccision of this court in Il• v. Moh'1>acd Dusl1i;j, 1973 L.:i:l. T. n. 51 the lcn.rnc ~ Ste.to Attorney
SLt"!Jmi ttoc.'. :~1m·i; tho lcn.rncc1 trial Uosi<:.cn·i; !Ie:{;'istrn:i;o coul.:.: only iwposo 'r.. custofad son·:;cnoo unless tlloro aro circumstances which wa.:rro..:i.r~ ti, cliflcrcn-'i; form of pmri:i1acnt. I entirely oercc wi·;j,1 -~he 1.lccision in Dus.hi.ri 1s case dri.ch, in rrcr View, is a ju.cliciru. in-rca.c. in·i;o ·i;!:i.c u.iscrctiollc.";C~; po..rox of tho courts in scn-'.;cncil:llr• Dut unlil.:o the limi·i;c;i;ions cro0tod. by stn:~ufor-J Lli11L.1ix.1 scntonccB, ;juc.1.icinl praotioo t'.rC by no:tbro not supposcc.1.. ·i;o :Jc :ri:-;i.<-'.... In other ,rn:;;cls ~lil.is decision cnn.iot 00 takol1 0,3 c.ll n.1,1.-t.b.or-i -~.7 for 11 solcr:m ruk tl1r.?.t in GVD:c:r cnse when Dn MCU.'3CLl. had been convicfocl of a orj_nc for u;.1~ch no provision o1 n. :line in al -~c:rnc..ti vo to imprisonoonts is proviclocl, court raust imposo n. custot1io.l sontcn.cc unless there arc ci:rcumstn.ncos jus·iii1;nnc for different forr,1 of son-'i;oncos. The rcCF,rl.rorlC1rt eif su.c!l sI)Ccio.l circw:istnnccs should no·t be ;i.nl1iscrirai.nn.tcl.y npplioc;l in every su.oh oc,sc.. Couxts shoulcl first consillcr such fo.c~ora as tl.fo naturo of tho of:Zoncc, its prcvru.encc n.11-.: tho c;hastly nn.1111cr in 1rhich it was oomnti:ttod before rcqtl.irin,·_; -t:1c o.ccusc(l to ru:. . '.uce circu..1Stancos u!1ic!1. Hill spa-re him ...... /2 t 2 : fxor.1 the l')l.'csc::i::.o.1. cus"t0,'.ic.l
aa11"i;c11cc. Fol' ro:r:r.1pla in ~¥.~•a cc.ac where r..cc~:.so<l lT.::.S cc-11Vic·k:~ o:":' cu.win-:: .:1..o:-::·i;.b. by ~:r:11cc;;:·ous ~'.:dVine, the fnct th.:~·~ n.ccusc.l .l:rovo -'i.}10 vc'..Jiolo ullilc un.:.cr "i;.b.o ilri'll1.m100 of -" ctilO 1 1T2'0 .,li,..:. u.,._C ..,·...0,.1 · Q, r--.rtt,..... r-:<"":-c.;.i. L1,,'_,' :f'~<-tor s c.."ll --~-·•-•YC, '-""' 11cccssis•t::-;~inr,· _ foJ;> n, oustoc!inl ~01l'toncc; TJ.,i □ is i-rhrit On,yiu.::c, J.• s~L'.t- ti a ' • • •· ..,. • -~, mo •· ·,.cc·1 .;.._ ·..:. w'hioh .-,. porscn J'.'-2.s cll n.10:.1:; 'been J.:rin:d.nc; c,ml :.lc.'1.11cinc c.n::. ·ll'.1cro~.1'tcr to :~ivc of-Z in a. o~ ;:i;t; r,, hi()..\ sr)cc,:.. .::.ro ctm."d/ci '.)11S u:.:.iol1 ooul't -'i;o levy e, 1i110 r.;s n..l 2..l-cc:r112.tiv0 -~o ·:/~.o 1:irison sentence cajoino(:. h\ tl10 lcr;islr:.:iiiYo ~1actr,1c11t. 1 ' . stro11r; p:.:-6m:r1p-iiio11 the.ct e,ccusc.:. ,.:'..csorvo0 -'c:.!.O prcscxi1.)c;l jcil sc;.r~cnco unless ·;;J.io~ C a.:..·c S':'iitC circt1.a3·~~.llCOS rc1:u-t•bi~i::,· i•b. l,u·t ·:;:~,! ~Ct}Uil•o;:1011·t of 1 such rc1)uJi;::-.l circt.t1stc:J1cos ,"'..om ~1o·t ~isc t.mlcss ·;l.10:;.'c c..-::is•t such n,.::;'.j:rn:v~.:'i;inc fMtos.- I·~ in Hronc to ru:'(:~c'.C -~.\:-~-~ suc21 prcm.,:;:1i,ti "lll ...::-i:::ica L1 ovcr<J oi:Z-0:.ico for lThibb. t:.-:.o iU:t>Scl'i :)o~".. lir,:blc -sc1riic:.1cc is ii,.1i):i:'is :,m:ir:n·~. stronc
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