19770920 TZHC Mwanza

Lit~ II t{fti ~{,1,_l.-:f ,D,S:111\.' IN THE HIGH COUHT- OF Ti·t!'l::::AiHA J\.T MlJAN~-'.':A APPELLATE JURI3DICTIUN , ,l-JIGH C0t.Jf<T CRii·•iJ],fr'.t ,\J?Pt;,,L, l'JCJ,o' 203' OF ·1977 0 (Originnl Crirrii,121 Cc:se· Noa 270 of 19:76 of th,:: District Court of Gc:i.. tn District at G~it2 - B0forc F. N. Buborwn, Esq.; 'Senior Maqistrntc) versus·, .... CHARGE: CORfW?T ,'.l.'R,;N.:3,-.CTIUN c:mtrc1ry · tu s ccti.m 3 (-2) <>f the Pr2vdYi:i-=>n :)f c-;rr~.jti,.m ,,ct l•b. 16 of 1971. JUDGEl';EIJT. · This 'is un app2nl by the DirC!ct0r ,)f Public Pr:>s(~c•itions ag,:inst an order r,f the h~ornr~d s,~nior M2,i'glstrc:ot~, G:~it;:-, · dismissinq the cJ.1:,.rgc and acquittL:1;, the r.esp,·;ndent un,1er .:>,)Cti . m 198 ,:,f the Criminal ProcedurQ Coc1e £°<.'.ir. n-,.::n· avc2ilahi"ii t~i- •,'.J.f th(:; stir., witne$s f ,r the prosecuti:Jno ' { · The: hi;3foricol bac'kground ,:if the insto.ht app.~al is th2t, rin 0 8th ··sepf°ernb,:r°~. 1976 ·uiL rf;~·p,)ridt::nt, u' rriagistr.:'\b-=, was arraigned. in the I District ·c ·u~t; i3'dt;a,' _on· i:l charge of Corrupt transaction co.ntr-ary to · secfion ·3 (2) ,,-j:' the 'Prev"'ntion ·nf:- Co:r.cupti'on i.;.ct, No.16 of 1971.., 'I'hrJ partici:i);_ars _,;..1f. 0:ff,~n:c_.:: :al 1 ,;gl~d, int\~r alin:1 · 'th-::t the· respondent ob·i: ~,in,~d the 'b~Jh;~; :f,(•.~,m O~<.:: _!{aphuel K:3y21nda~ ...!li~·..pl.Q.0..tl..-2-9... '.I.:.·'~---guil ty Wh(.;:;J;"f2Upon, as' us1.:i'a'1, r::,11\~u-~!'d \'l. S\::ri..:s o·f adj Durnrn,~hts·: on '.th'-'! ground th,'lt. :lhf;:·;.-.::-::; inves,tigc:ti 'n$ ·\~~~.1~·e incomplet.:-~. Evirihiully ~l h-.~t.1ring chtc Wc:\S fi:i~:-:::d :· on 2~/4/77. on· th:ii't d-~t.~ thr., public pros0cc:itor; ili::C-orm.:!d the Dist~ic,t. Court th , t ,h.: \•iht,cndfjd t<., ·c ".111 t-:;ri. wi tnc~ss :$ !Y!',:.c: of wh,Jm was pr,.::~ .,4nt;; He add~d -i:1'1°:t -ch,;· "chief wi tn,~ss" v1as missirig.· '· Hci'arin("J wns then, · •·· · · adjourn~d to 25/5/77~· However, •·~~ri t~d cbs2iwa~:c6ll0d DA that~d~tc~- the lyarn.,d puplic pro,;ecutor addr,.cssc:d th(: c·)u:ct in th,~ following t~rms. and I quote frc:n th,e r/cord :~ "Pros: The pres2nt addr1:.:ss of k<.,y wi tn1.:~ss is not knr;\,m. It is t.lh:(]0d h-2 shifted from his form;:~r villi1g:·~.:- ?:i1a.·· his: wher<:- , ~bouts er~ n~t k~riWfi.· ~Ask for 9na more ch ,nee ·b>! try-:.;to··, get l1i;m., '-' Hu~rin0 w·•s odjouincd t0 15/6/77 ~nd hgain;~o .16/6/77. On the latter d(:;t~ · th~, 1, ;:irned public pros~cutot' -1s · r.:2co.rded bl have s.,id and, ag,:.::in,., I qy::itc from th ! rec'rn·d :- ' ."Pros: Complainant ,,,h:5- ·is the key':wi tn:ess h;,s disappf?2r<2d and: his :;,.,h,)r.~nb:m:ts are not known. All e·fforts :.L; ·::trdc..~ him ht1ve f fc!il.··d. Therefor,.;) W8 --hclV•.:! :'.fa.i·L?d to ·proc.::ed with th.:: CuSCo l !,e: l,:::av,::: the ·matter f-;r th~,c.--urt·t ..: d<;;!cz:::ide." The: c ,urt d,Jcided thP. mc1ttl::!r in th"~ fr>llowil1,:, Tl)anncr · 9-nd I, · • . quot~ f~--;r 0 · th.-~ record:- : L:. 11 0rd12r: The alleged )ffcnc~ wes c0mmitt~d in ,....,.._~ Septt2mb(?r, 1976 ,· ov-..=r ;;in1:2 m,,nthi:; ,,.go •. ,. : ..C - Since · th,~n . r~fforts t,y true() \-vhere.:,b:.)uts: ·: ,,f c~"lrnpla-i11,:::nt whu is the.; k;::y ·witness·, h,we f;1ilcd. He h -.is lkVCr bothcr~~d to 'show his -f<'.CC t() p,llic.__ to.,. 1..,nquire a~out his c:ise, esp~ci:-::lly ob •ut-his money· Jhs. 300/= · alhigedl v rk. D''id to accused ns corruption·_.'.·; This<-rc1.;Ls-..:s· sc,ml~ · · · su:spici.Jn ::,n th.:..; truthfuln2ss of · prosc,cutiun.' s c ,S<.:.!o The, r~,sul t is tJ1,,,t the or'.. s0}cuti ·:n ;-ic,s ::::'.i}.. ··d. t,,:, proce,?d ""'••ooottooe/?..e 2 /-,.ccordingly, und~r. S,,ction 198 Crimin.:,l Proc0dure Code,, I di,;;:rnir:os tl:2 clrrgc_, ,.-:,nd ucq1,1.i t ~,CC",J.,lS ,2d .; 11 J;:n the p,-•ti tion r)f ,:pr, ~u.. h•~ Dir,.-ct r Jf Fublic Prosl~C1...Iti:.;ns relies m tl! __. foll,)w.·ng qr,unds::-:- "1. That i t w,:is · o misdir ,cti :,n ._,::1 the ),rt :,f the t-ci::,l ni:-:igis:!;rub.: t•.1 inv,,Jc·._; the ·-i· -~s ·f r•.,rti·· -,n -~lqg· -·,-/= ,~•_.,.p 20 1n,·•rc ly ~,-1-JVl ..:>a l_..1..1_~ 0 1 .l-.l...--' ,-"),__.._ .. ~l -· \....).1- ....... , . , . --~ 0 b-~caus,~ th·;= st<1r wi tn".['c, \v::,.s ~bscr,t, wh.::r,::-,s tlL: CC)mpLJ.in T,t (io<..:o public pros,.::cutor) w::,s ~r.:;c;._~,1to 2o Tlvlt j_t wca.s wr,n<J :LJr th-2 ~vii,,r r:agistr:::te to hiJve inv,)k,:d his ;J<;vH::1.~s 0s l,e did in the circumst0nce of th-.c ~ .. C~:,S<:.:o ·, 3. '. Thc1t in th,::: ci.r-cumst;_:inc,_, ·f th,~ cuse the order 1_:'uSs ..,d th0r,~on w.::1s illC::(J;J.l o" _It wo.s urgu,,\d fr)r th<,, 9 ppc~11.-1:1t by th,c l..,:crned ::itc1te i'i.ttorney, Mrs Matovu,. th:ct sinc:t:: .the.? Republic \•!'JS. rcpn,~.St-::n.t,. d by a pr JS.:.ccutor 0 in the lc~,-~_,t c.u~t it,1t''.1_s t,here:f,:_;r,_~ wr-mq :for th...:: L:u.rned mc1gistr::,b..: ' to inv0k;,e :pr >Visi ,ns of, Sc:!Ction 198 t)f th,.:, Crir;,i,,;1 · Procedure Cod;..;. In SUD'),;r;t, .::f h .. r. Ctrgun1-cnt Mrs Hat wu. r,:f,:rn.::d t _, ·the Ci1se of M;d'{TIN . NGUMI,, :md_ ..'.1':L:. ;·:1L.0~'.~rs "ys ~ REPUqL.IC, Co_urt c,f i,pp20J f,_ir Cast :'.friCTc-;-~. Criminal ;wp·,:;, ls Nos o 48 and. 69: ,~f. 1976 (tt) my kn¢,vl\ ,dge unr,:;porb,d),. The· issu,~ in t:)O$C twu app,-'.:::ls wh.i,.ch 'v..r,~re c_.:,sc;lid,ted was the . const.ruc-t;::L:-:2. ·:if -sccti-:m 205 uf th~ C.!7._i,.-rninol P;:-c;cedurt..: Codeo How.iv~r, iq. the Druc:-ss the Cou:.-t of i\.pr)e::'11 ,;L_~u ex,rnin d the pcwL:;iuns of , ' section.,198 ,)::· the Criminal Procedure Cc;,!., und,•J: which th.,.:! l,,arnC::d ·r· magistr~te int~~ inst~nt ~ppcal puroort(d tu_ ~ct. 3ccti0n 198 0f the Crirnin~l Procedure c6ac provides AS_ folldws and I quote~- "Iff in nny CuSl~ wr,ich i1 subordin:1tc---eourt has j~iisdiction tu h~ar □ nd d~t0r~in~, the accused person 3ppcars in obcdi0nc2.tn t~c summons served uµ~n ~im 2t th~ time ~nd place appointed in tr:." summ:)ris f-::ir- th0 h;~,,ric,g ,_,f the Cil_se, or is bruu<Jht befor<'= th.-:~ court unrl-..:r ::1rr,,st, thr.:n, if the, C;JmpL::in-:rnt ·h"lvinCJ h::1d _rntic0 of the time and pl~c2 appoint~d £,r th2 h~~ring of the ci1.::-rge, do,:s rwt ,-::pp :<1.r, th ..: c -urt shall dismiss .. th'--' ch,crq,2 and ;:ccqui t t.i10 dCC\U?'-'d pers,m, unlr:SS f,.::r s.,mc r,2;-,s-:,n i t sh;c:11 think it pr,):-h..:r fr; 2dj ourn thf' h(:i1d.'lC - :!f th'--' c~;s,2 until s--,me " Th8 wurd 11 C,,mpLc1incint" is, n<:1t dt:.,fin-:,d 2nywh12re in the CrimL·_nl Procedur~ Co:,,1 _, 0 The c,_)urt '.)f ,\ppt'Ol ll,_Mev'-"r t.':t1.clorscd the vi,cw cxpr.!.-.. scd in the judger~,,-t, in th, c0.se -if JU'., ..:il~ L.>h,,IL l,.~l:lli, Vo REPUBLIC, Crimin21l h.pp ,:--1 ;.,,·;o 69 of 1976 (D:c1r (2S :32.lc.ilm Registry), )f Bir~m J • . whom, with th great~st r sp~ct,they ~ckn~wl~dg~d t0 be ''a senioi j6d~e of consid,.;r:::blc:: '--"xp· ..;rh,nc,:: in th,: '.-iigh C.,urt," th.7 t the ,,10rd 'c,)mplc1L.1.nnt 1 is ge:ner;1J.ly r-~';J,,rd,~d by judg,c:;s in the, /ligh CJt.,u:-t:,,.in Tzrnzrmia 2s including a public. pros,.,cut,Jrc, \,iith r',::sp'-'ct ,. I C,"'lnn,.,t but ,3.ssocL:-.te myself fully \1;i.th th,.::sG viewso J·,g,::iin,. the C,_,Lirt uf i,pp,·21 constru...::d the ""'PP·~- x::--nce" r--.cfr,rred tu in th,_; ,;~ct.i,_,n t,.-, rn·~·,,in physicul pr•..:S.!t1C0 0 and n,.,t :t:-' nk,'.,'1 cunstructiv,c pr,·,s,cnc"" ,~r ,,:•n - o.~)p..::ar-,ncci. In thC:! final ano.lys:i_s thee Court of ,\pp •::l was cL;·.rly, :,{: th,c view th2t in a si tu0.ti Jn --h(:))'.:',..: tho public prOSi.:oCUtOl'.'.' ~{n:;(;;C_,rs ')D -~'. date fixed for h«:,-;rinq but L:iJ.s to produc,.~ witnlsSp.0s; :ind 1-:ir 1 c,.c8d ,,lith the h~aring provisi:Jc,s .Jf s,2cti,.)n 198 w"uld ,1J·t 1),~ ;::. )plic:,;)l,..:o 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 C O C. e /3. ( ' I'. I,;;. 3 Th0 situ~tion obtaining in 'ih~ iristnnt ~pp~0l wns th~t the public pros.::cub.;r, ;~ft,Jr •~fforts, wh•,)S<,, inb:msity 1·:as nevr~r disclos,::d; to trace th~ principQl witn~ss h~d f~il-~ t0 L ~r fruit, ns it w~rct lost hec.rt, .·:r,d left th,~ rn;:•ttcr t:.1 th;_) C ·urt t,. d,~c:i.r:eo As it Wi'J.S nev-::r olL~c- __ c:; th,~t th-.:! ::;,::id n1:1t•.c:. i.·1J. wi tn~,,s had di.~d but had Qnly chang'--~d ··c1c1.d.ni:i:'s ·s end it··1,1us '1is new -:.dd.'~·''"~ \hich was then unkn=,nm one· wbn-:f:.~:i:s wh/'tL1.:., pu1:,lic '.?r,jS•,~Ci..t ,r d;Lcl D t i\:,k: · the c,.iurt :i:·.,r l<:!yVC'. to withd-raw fro:,, lh-c )j:";)s,,c.: 1 ,tion unde.1~ s-.:cti,·m 86(a) --:~f th-=: Crimi1~.a1' . Proceduc': C,.-;d,.io TJ-1<-, consequ,"nce wuuld h,:Vl:: b-1,m th ·,t th0, r<!~;n.)nd~Dt would hr.v . .i -~~) .. ~.-~i"i d-\.-:·;clJ.~1r:-g-..:d_ wi :thollt; pr~!j1.1d.ice: 'to subsequent prOs.:ct1-:tir,)t1 c •-:,,.,t,t' aga1 11.:, .1.LI b ]1-i-- _.-._ ..s'·;ci -.:.:'-· -··n--t'1·, J 11.-_ ;.;m· C>i . (·...;_; f:>ctc :..t .. ->a r·• c,--11,'11··1 .#.l..._:t. . .!.-V 1 - .. .1...\..!. L.1,.1.·.:.-~sc,~·rc -'·',~,- 11 .+···r ,{- . • ,.. .,, the - : ~ : .....:·; .- prosecu t:i..-ns i- ~Jrincipal witness ··wuulc~ h::w~i C'),,tir;i,kdo Th,., f;1ct of the· matter is ti, -t the pros1!cutor did n· ..-t do S•.Jo This c•1uld h.,,v . ~ bc.;cn r1.uc to lazness ,·r inl,fficilcncy or \.:!Ven :.,h\,.:.:;r ign·:·rcnceo If S,) then the:.: trial court sh.JuJ.d n·)t h.-.1v-~ .:>.ss·,cii"'lb~d its :elf 1,Jith the prc,s'-~cuti<:•no Needlc~s to s,:y justice, sh•mld not b~ dt::f-.•:.,tcd '..JD ::ccount of the ineffici .ncy ·.·f t.he PoliCFJ or c)f the Pros-::cut:i..)n or even if the C'iurt .. /1.11 in c1J.l, for 1,1ha.t h,1s b:ccn str1bJd h "rein above ni,d since: t.he public pros -.:cu-tor was p.!;Q:3ent I think the l•.)Wer c urt erred by iny0kir1g: the provisi·_,,,.s ,)f sc::c:'ti0n )98 of the Crimin21 Procedure Codeo i• ··-. _.-._ > Th~ au~stion thot now arisus is wh~t should h~ve the tri~l c~urt done in th-2 ·czicumstanccs? ,_:iadly th2r,.:: is n,.) stotutcry -prr)Vision which , covers Q situvtion such as arose in th~ inst~nt ~atter in th~ lower courto In the: J!c":..X:...~in Nguma and two :;th-..:-rs cnse the court of app,.::o.l, in answer to i1 qu,,1sticn wh,:1t a cc:urt is t-:) do in a si tu2tion where it refusl~S nn ,,dj ournment and at th(~ s,,:rn,.. tim _ th~ pros,~cution is unable to proce d f~r c~rtnin rcas •ns, had the fullowing to say for future guidance of c. iurts f<'Cl)d vJi th si;.ch si tur.ti·Jns end I quote:- 11A court must ho.v,~, within rlcr:s0n, the pot:Jer to control or regulate its nwn procdedings in urd,,r to prevent itself :C'r 1.'m b,~ing Gmascul~ted or render~d impatunto ■■■■ o ■■■■ o ■■ We believe that~ cou~t c~n, in such circumst~nccs 0 f emergcncy 1 cloth~d 2s it is with inherent power to cuntr _)l its own proc(~•.'·dinqs, dismiss th,, ch,1rg0 und disch,:Jrge the accused, dGspi t8 t,,c; lac\ of ;:;ny stc1tutory provision t -i th;1t eff,_;ct. _ :,re think th,,t such ~ disch~rge a~d dis~issal would be suffici~nt exercise of the court's inhar0nt power to regulc1t~ its ,)wn proc,.02dings; cmd that :3.n order of acquittal, unless in the most exceptional circumst;-nc,..=s, is unnec2ss~1ry und unsuitable for that purpose. ;·.n orck:r m,:1ch~ by a c:>Urt in the exercisd uf its inh~rc~t p~wer must be fair and reasunable, ~nd in exercising it a court must look at a matter realistically,. and keep in view and in b:-1.:cnce the rights of an ,:iccused person o.nd th,~ duty •::•f the prosecution to. bring miscreants to justice." With the greatest rt:spect, I entirely as.;;:)ci;c;b.:: myself with these vi:::ws which I :3d0pt as 11\Y own and which 1 I hold, are npplicablo to the situntion in which the l0arn~d Senior M~gistro.t2 found hims~lf. Asi no d,ubt it must have been known to th~ learned 3enior Magistrct0 that the proc~ss of settling people in new vill~g~s must have caused people b) chi.mg,:! addresses he should have urged the police to continue looking for their principal witness and ~~anwhile dismiss the charge and discha.rg:~ th~ appellant. o.-• o o o c, o o o o-o o / 4. 3 In thc:,fdf·,L--,ctl n,sul t I ,:.Li,,: this \upp•.·o::lo The order. 1)f the 1 lower cow:-t disraissinq: th:-o ch,rge c·•nd -~,1~cp. 1ittin0; -i:he' responcknt unc12.i; · section 198 .- f the Crirni:-,,:11 Pr'.)c,,:dure Code is• h r2by quash<d and s_et aside and is sub~0 ti tut<:d th,-~r 2for ::,n ')rcler_· · disrnissino th.-: char<Je:: ~'.iY] disc.hargi:1c; tr>-::, rc~s·p,,nc:L,nL Th,~ eff,:.:ct c:f thi:':; iJ ti~::1.t now the . . . :.:•- , c·, prO.;;,t=CU t·i• ...,,· ,..;_,,., -~-,•,. ~,,_, C-~yt· .. ;,l ll:.u.C .., l··.J r·k ·,,, t-·, J .c .. __ th.,,· ,.ur ~t "-.-la . _ir , .ID,:, ·t 0.:-.,s, •r·· 1 . Wl pee• uB n "'du_,po,_,. getting him th-.:,:1· c:Jn prc.)C<.:::dl ·to ·Dros :,cut0 th2 respondent Orl th,:: s.;: .me· 1 1 set·· of (.::~.cts .-it: .. -~J.:2fc,reo ,.1": I -··'·) V. .: ,, . . (: MWANZAc · Ho }i'o i Do d~-jyj: 20/9/77. -_.; · Ji.JDGE e ·.·, - . .' I,·