19900207 TZHC Mtwara
The district magistrate erred in law by dismissing the charge and acquitting the respondents when there was sufficient evidence to require them to make a defence.
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- 19900207 TZHC Mtwara
- Parties
- Appellant: Director of Public Prosecutions; Respondent: Lulu J. John
- Court
- TZHC
- Jurisdiction
- Tanzania
- Judgment Date
- 7 February 1990
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Appeal From Acquittal at Close of Prosecution Case
- Outcome
- Appeal allowed
- Legal Topics
- Unlawful Possession, Burden of Proof, Procedure at Close of Prosecution Case
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Director of Public Prosecutions
Appellant
Lulu J. John
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Appeal From Acquittal at Close of Prosecution Case
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the district magistrate erred in dismissing the charge and acquitting the respondents at the close of the prosecution case under section 230 of the Criminal Procedure Act
Ratio Decidendi
The district magistrate erred in law by dismissing the charge and acquitting the respondents when there was sufficient evidence to require them to make a defence.
Court Disposition
Appeal allowed
Orders
- Order of acquittal set aside
- Case remitted to district court for respondents to be called upon to make their defence
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
94 01!' 1939 . IIIGII COTD'r c:UEilJlJ, LPPEl.L NO.. Oric;iw,1 Cri1:1in..1,l Caso Ho? 128 of 1989 of tho District Con:;:,t of I.Iti:r,,.I'c.1- I)istrict at I:1two,ra' J3ofo~::oi I,l,,. 1{nv.1.-ic;1-1yo Esq_"? DiDt:::ict 1,Ic:y;istrate DIHEC 1roR OF PlJBLIC Y.clOSECUTIONS .) <> O ~ ~ 0 O lu·PELL1'.N-T Ve::rsu.s 1.. .LLL Y JJ) }51JH ~ ) " •••o _., • • • • • • • • o ,!'' ftESPO:NDENT RULIHG The t1ro J:'ospondonts were c:-1c,rgod in tho dict2°ict court at Mtwara with unlm·r.ful pocmossion of Govcrnnont Storoso '..At }ho· close of the prosecution c,1s0, tho tri.D,l 1:1:~c:Lrrt:ro.to c1.isnL:moc1- tli.o cl:ioxc;o and acqati tted. the :ros:ponclan ts., The Director of Public Prcsocut5.ons is appealing. Tho pctrtioulc\Cs of tho offence alleged th2.t tho respondents, who a.re husb2J'ld. 2-nd wifo, wore found in 1..u1}e,1rt"t.il possession of a National flag, property of tho UnitoQ J.opublic of 1l 1c:nzania. :av"iclc,icc 1ro,s given by Plil Saidi Husa 3 PW2 Finto.n Limo we',, PW3 Mohamed Ath1.u::1c,'L'D. th0t u National flag propo:cty of tho Govor11.1:1011.t wc.s fori.nd h2.11cinc; in tlw J:osyondc:nts I houso. Ono of tl~o l"OSJ)onclmrto is allogod to ho:vo told tho 11:r·o:::ocution witnesses thnt ho hc::,cl ~:oooiv,,,d tJ.10 flo.c n2-rw ycc~s c1.-,zo as a rowo..rcl. The first respondent ropc2.tod thc.t allegation ·to tho Policeo On tllo ~:~~.sic of thD.t ovidonco, si.:soly it w2,s established that tho . flag ,;ms in tho possession of tho respondents~ PriL1n facio tl7-oir possession ,mo 1..mlt,1·:·ful.., T:10, J:ospondonts had to c~i.vo ovidenco on how thoy aoqui:rod t110 fle,g., Tho loCJ'.'nod district r:J.G{JictJ:2.to said in his rulinr; t;.10.,t tho flo,g, which wns tondo:cod an ,111 exl:ibit, w2,s old and torn. That wt:,s inn::-.torfr,l for th'3 pu:cpoao of docidin6 ,;r:1cthor tl1cre was a case to 01mroro 'I1l10 condition of tho property is not :rolovant. '••-•-- .. ~ \ 2 Tho diatrict m,-3istrc1to diomissod tho chGXc,~c under oootion 230 of tho Criminal P:1:ocoa..1,1..l'o ::i.ct whic~, gives pmmrs to a disti~ict court to dismiss tho chccrco o..ncl cc,oq_ui t tho r:.ccusocl, if e,t tho clpco of tho 1,rosocution ovidonoo Hit C1j)pcc~cs to tho court +;;12,t r1 case ic not mn,clo out against the accusocl -pOI'son ouffioiontly to :;;oq_uiI'o !.l.in to L'.lc',kO C', cLofoncc •••• "·" In tl1is or.so~ thoro 1-ms sufficient ovidi,nco thd tho llag was found at tho :co:3pondont 's hou::io 0 Tho rospondonts had to md::o their defence -1 tho 001.u:t would then decide, on tho ovidonco .s,s u whole, 1,hothcr they h ...1.d committed tho offonco. or not. A ca:30 had boon rnndo L,r;a:i.list them suf'ficicntly to roqui:ro then to ,:1.::Jco a dofenco for the o:ffonco cllc,i~c;od. Tho lero:-ncd district n2-e;1strato orrod in lc:w in (liunissing tho che:.1.·go .. Tho c1,1)por,l is allowed. Tho ordo:i.' of tho district court dis~_sing the ' charc;o ancl o,cq_ui tting tho r-osponclo:r..ts is r:mt o.sicloo The case is ror.1ittocl to tho c.listrict court fm: tJ10 ros-_pondonts to be call&!: upon to nrko thoii• defence~ Tho :respondents .should appear :i.11. tho. district court on 12th Februaxy 19900 Jud.go " MTWl.RA 7th Februo.:ry 1990 Mr. Tondwa~ Son. State llttornoy, for tho Republic. Respondents present. \ I