19881118 TZHC Dar es Salaam
The evidence established beyond reasonable doubt that the appellant operated the account, deposited forged cheques, withdrew the funds, and procedural irregularities did not occasion a failure of justice; conviction and sentence are upheld.
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- 19881118 TZHC Dar es Salaam
- Parties
- Appellant: Emmanuel Mporoto; Respondent: The United Republic
- Court
- TZHC
- Jurisdiction
- Tanzania
- Judgment Date
- 18 November 1988
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Judgment
- Outcome
- appeal dismissed
- Legal Topics
- Forgery, Obtaining Money by False Pretences, Uttering False Documents, Procedural Irregularity
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Emmanuel Mporoto
Appellant
The United Republic
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the appellant forged cheques and obtained money by false pretences
- 2 Whether procedural irregularities in the trial vitiated the conviction
Ratio Decidendi
The evidence established beyond reasonable doubt that the appellant operated the account, deposited forged cheques, withdrew the funds, and procedural irregularities did not occasion a failure of justice; conviction and sentence are upheld.
Court Disposition
appeal dismissed
Orders
- Appellant's advocate to be notified due to absence and lack of service.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
Ill TIIE marr COURT OF T~Zil.NIA AT Dii.R ES -Sll.LJJ1.M tli - li.PPELLN.l:E '.TURISDICTION. _IIIGII COURT ,Cilil-III:UJ, APF'Efit NO •. 158 OF 1f87 \ (Fron original Cr:i.t.1incJ. CMc No.1257 ~f 1902 of tho 1D:lstrict· Court of· \ J'.lc.,ln. District n.t Kisutu) EMI-UJroEL MPORCJl'O •• o-~ •• e, •.,. • .. ••• •• • •, •• •• • • •• • •• 00 • • u •.• .~ uf.PPEL,LANT. vorsus . ( Ori6i,11cl. Aoousod) TiiE UNITED REPUriLICo -.... .,. •• • .. u .... ~ o. • • ._ .. ••• •• • • .'·i • •• , ~ .RESPOIIDENT ( Origincl. Prosoc1,:i;,:;,_/, KYil.li,I>;O,, Je · On 16th Soptonbof, '1907, tho o.ppollnnt; Er-UUi.NUEL MPOROTO, lms convicted of offences oht-..rc;ocl in 'Six counts 6.s follo'wss two boun-tiJ of forgery tlhdcr scctioi1s 333 n.nd 337 of tho Pono.I. Code; two 001.U'l~ of obtaining ooney by false protorioos ttriclor sootl.on 302 of tho Pounl Code, and two counts of uttor:i.11{t falso docu:.10nts under. section 342 of tho Pon.al Coda. Ila was s01ttcnoocl to throe yoo.rsek inprisonncnt ·on co.oh of tho counts o"f forJGry nncl ti.t'toring false doouocmts followihg his conviction, nnd to six yoa.rs' !L.tprisonuont art on.ch of tho c-O'UJ:its olw.iy,1:ng obta.inir1g ndnoy by fr.lso pr<:r'i;oncoa, sontonoos on cl.l ._counts to bo sorvod conoui:Tontly. lie WM ncg:riovoc.l by Jlillo convictions end scntoi100s c.nd h,;-i.s o.pi:>on.lud to this court.· Ile hncl boon triad jointly c.nd toBothor with two other porsons' but thoso others wcro l'..Cqui ttod by tho trial court at tlio ond o:f . ' . tho .trinl• At tho honJ:'lltg of this o.ppcal,~ tho r.ppollo.rit was l'oproscntod b,Y' ?,n-. Rutri._Bhobya.1 ldn.rna:l c.clvooato, and tho Ropu.blio WO£ roprosontod 1Jy- _l.h'. I(;y'e.ru.z1, loamocl St~to Attorney~ ,~ .. B:riof4r in ·1901 two ohoqu.os 1 lfo~ :Ma.0227102 for shs.129,.563/- e1m . No.m.~2320 for sllS-•145, 502/~, woro clrawn on tho ·0000U11t of ·_:tho ~zctdo. Pooplos' Dofonoo Forces (TPDF) with tho Bn.nk of Tanz..,Jti a. at Dm- os Sc.l!:k."..tl in. favour of tho Comiesioner of Incooo Tex and TM.znni.t1 It.~bou:rs- Authority (TUA) rospoctivo:cy. 11.t the back of ~'lOSO obequas• th"oro lToro 01'ldorsfJOents to the ef'fect that "thoy should OG ·paid iltto OOOoi.u'lt No .. L14~.4, l/Iorogoro Road Dro.noh of th~ Nitional Benk of Co:-mo:i:-oo. Thora wo.s ovido1'l00, undisputed which established tho.t the said account No-4434 wo.s for Uwanga.za 7 . . . . lluto Supplies Coop~, n. firrl or coopany owned jointly and sol~~ by tho nppollont and Wida.al ICoobe, 0110 of ~hose chnri:;oo tog-other with tho a.plJ°"'."· llont ill tho Di~trict Ct,urt but a.oqui tted _as shown o.oovo. 'Ibero wo.s also noplo n.tld undisputed ovid0.11.0e. which showed tht:1.t tho said account WM oponod 11' . .f th~ ,said . Koobo anc1 tho o..ppollDllt in_ 1900- . IJho ohequos nentiono:1 t..bovo : . ., uoro pu:t-pol;'toclly . .. ·, endorsed for .pC(,rwont into . noooui1t No.,4434 . by J.,Hno1w, . tho Conwisaionor of Inoouo Tl'.X Dopo..rtncmt n.t the nc.tcrlal tioo, t:\1.tcl 0110 Philip lt."'.Ohb., ·FinclllCe r.1c:.i1reor nt TllA, respootiv6ly,. T'..1osc two p~oplo (1.r:'~-~ - 2 in. court tlmt tho choquos woro ondorsocl biJ then. T!..1oir spacir.1011 sie:,na:turos 1-rcro conpnrod with .those on tho on.1..orsonont to tho ohcquos. · Those 011 tho choquos were found not to 1Jo liko tho spocinon sic;ni-turos of thcso ui tnossos. ITonco the allog~tions of forgorios. r-ID..trona Rwobc'l.l'lC'ira (PlT3) idol'ltifiod tho two cheques in coi.:o:-t, Ilo was c.. Toller at tho Norocoro BrMoh· of tho NBC n.t tho i:1u.tor:i.ul t1L10. Ilo col+fimocl 1iho..t ho was tho one who rocaivocl tho cheques and oroa.i tad than to 2.0caunt No.• 4434. !Io could not roc2,ll, houovor, tho person or persons who brou.fjit tho_ cheques thoro 0 Ile saiu in.his ovidoncos- ftr c£1J.111ot ~ocall whp brOUGht tho chocks 1Joon.u.so .J we norr1c:"),lly de not look c.:t tho custor.ic:t'. Uc ~nly look' n.t tho cus tenor wb.on wo a.re p...'Wi,ng'' Fr;:;,;:1k He.so.we (PU5) told. tho court bolow thn.t ho witnessed tho ope11.ing of' 0cc01,u1t No.4434 by tho cppollr.nt o.nd Wicl.ool Kou1Jo on 18/2/80,,, IIo know Konbo i.':loro m1· to find c roforoo ,Pro.vin J• R.1-iojack (Hl6) ,for tho:1. : Ila sa,icl .~t"'PP?llro1t withdraw~ of oonoy :r.ron tho o.cc~t, SI1s.,Co,ooo/-:- on one OCOD.S$ion, mid shs.,9O,O00/"'."' on another~ -Under cross-o:x:nni..'lu.ti911 by tho ·a.ppollnn:t" po st.itod:- '.-"· ,.t "You used to cone to tho Bank ~cl sign chocks. I know 2.bou.t this inciclont o.ftor I hoo rcportocl - tony in-:-cho..rgo. I assisted in opening tho li.doo\mt booo.:us o ny supervisor lm.ows you. I srnr you sic11:i.l1c tho 0!1.ooks "• Tb.oro we.s nnplo oviclonoo too to show tl:at as fron tho tir.10 Account No,,4434 was oponod Uicncl• Kor.ibo hnd never oparn.tocl i to On tho ojchor ha.ncl, tl,o c1ppollnnt operated it, i, o. by wi thclr2-w:iJ1g shs.80,000/"'." an.cl shs .. 90,000/-:- r,,..s shown n.bove. Tho tricl OO'tll't thoroforo hold -bl1o;I; tJ10 o.ppoll2nt wns tho o:.1u nho forged. tho two choc_ru.os Dontionod 2,bovo .:mc:l credi tocl tllm to Account:, .Uhfortuno.toly, tho TPDF lodcors 2..t t!lo U.1J.1.k of Truizmic.. J:'ror.1 which tho ·i.1ounts of tho choqtlCS wor0 c1obi tocl wore burnt in tho firo whio!l f.G;_~- ;tow, >:-.otrey.hl. ~ Donk builc1ine in 1984. Ju.so, the ledgers 2.t the Nr:.tionnl funk c:f Connoroe, Horo0 oro Rand. Tu-an.oh, for f.ccount No.. 4434, toeother lTi th the cb;er.ru.os which wi thclrew tho shs.Go,ooo/-:- 2.ncl shs.9O,O00/-:- rn:mtioned c..lJOvo, vru.u.shod n.t that branch, For these roe.sons it wc..s oontondod before the eourt :)elow that there was no ovid.01100 supportine tho chn.rgos D..S lcicl i.;.,. the CD.so. Tho oourt, howovor, roly:i.J.1.g pc..rticulnrly on tho ovidonco of PU5, wcs satisfied t:10.:t t.hc 2..ppollro1t ooor:d. tji;od tho offences oJ.logocl in this onso r•..ncl founc.l hin [:;Uil ty c>.,s ohn.rgocl c.nc1 convictocl hi.--:i.. o.s DJ.roo.dy inclicc..toci_ Iloforofnc tho sano ooDplc..ints wore roi torn.tad o.eo..inst o.ppcllc.nt's conviction.· With respect, I or.1 unn.blo to fnul:t the lower .court's finding of fo..ct that the c..ppollnnt ootu...~ oporo.tccl oocount No.4434~. by wi thclrrn-rinc :::1:G ,'.JQ,000/- nml shs.90,000/-:-. fron it. Tho oviclonoo of Pt-r5, 1rJ;u.ch wo..s cr,.1 ik j;\W.:,.;,J••. \ -t._•"•••~•~"9,•.,-•.J,r • •l' •, •'·.,. c_redi·ble, ostabiished this fact boyo11cf·nJ,\y ...ra·b:onal19X~-ient. ' • , I • , It is 2-lso ·c1oar that , the. account he operated ~:,as crdditod , I with , .•the two forgod cheques nnd the choquos wore depos-i tod by i141,. ·:: · .· Bosid'es tho above poiiit, Mr. Ilutashobya complci.inocl •. ' ~, in his submissions before ne.~hat tho proceedings beforo tho trial court wore iITegular, for two ranin reasons. Tho first reason w0,s that the ov:Lcl011ce of PUB was signecl by Hrs Kir:iaro alono, when th? cc.".,so w~. tr~od by ~\;pnnel of throe magistrates, -fwo of wl.J.on did not sign at tho oncl of PWG• s oViclonco• -At first r, like ~ . Mr~' Rutasholiya, was also conv:i.nced _t.:.iat only Mrs Kir:la.ro sigried at the end a~ ._that oviclonco• On a closer ·cxru:1i,1ation of tho _prococdings, however, no :;.~t:T · .. ti~istrato in fact signed that ovidcnoo at. alle Mrs Kit1m-o 1s signatu.ro is under tho order, ''Hearing ori 15/12/86. B/E" oade below PW[3's ev:i.denco on i)).e elate it was recorded, but there is no-r:1agistrato's signature at the encl of,: tho ev:i.denco itself'.• This raay havo offended section 210(l)(a) of tl10 ' ·! }. C~iminal Procedure Act, which provides i-:-, ·. .,} 11 210 - (1) In trials ., :., tri-als under sectio11 .. oth~;-,than ' 213, by or before a.Magistrate tho ovidcnco o:f' the wi t11ess sh4l~-:O.e · rocordod in tho followinB' (a) tb.o ev:i.denoo of· each wi tnes·s shall be taken clown . in writing in tl e language of the court by tho 7 Mc.~i•strato_·_______ and shall bo signed by hit1 and shal.l . fori.1 °pfu-t•-~'f ' . tho ro:corc1"(U11dor1ini.11g _, suppliGd). ifu2/c; was tho effect of the onission t~· sign tho ovi.clonce ·of P1-i8 l:rj' tho Macistrates? Looking at tl1e case as a whole I an ·of the vi~w that tho onission was a curublo irrogulp.ri ty it did not occassio11 a·failuro of justice, # • . , IIowevcr, i+, is orJphasiscd here that Magistrates nu.st bo careful to strictly.ad11ero to . . . "' p::-ocodural rules in their handling of trials . by or before then• ~ ,.TJ.1e second· reason argued by Mr, Ruta&½.obya to show tlmt tho procooc1ings ; . ·.~. . Yore irregulm- was that· the it1pression created by certai11 □ tater.1011ts in -'vhe •. - I . :~owor court 1 s ju.dgnont, vT~s that the, jw.lgr.10nt was only tha,t o:f Mrs IG.raaro instoa.cl of the entire panel of the three Dagistrato. Mr. Rutc1shobyct, argued that tho j~gment expresses only -[;h:o nincl of I'-'Irs Kii:iaro ru.1d it was in :fact her .judgr:1011t alone. With rospcci;; ·I Gf.1 ·of the View th2-t Mr. Ruto.shobyu 's oooplaints l1ere aro not wi thcut justificn.tion.G• · '1,140 juclgnent was a join~ judgnent,i, but _in it Mrs Kir.1c1ro, who appn.ren·'lizy prepared it, usos .expressions which would · . ;f, ~~~ te1id to sho1-r that it was her jw.1gr.10nt clone. Wi tnoss the following, for Ci::r-..nplo, . ·. 1 / fror.1 that juclgr.10nt :- ( 1) "As f2X c'.S -!;lie first issue is oonccrnod I will Fully disagree with M:r• Rutri,bingwa :for the soooncl oocusocl t],mt thoro no ov:i.d.onco which suggests -tJ.1.,.1,t the cheques wore forged• Evon tho cases which ho has ref ort-ocl to a.re not rolcvn.nt to this ca,se,. There i~i'mr,,ssiyo evidence: showing there was w:ri tto,1 rGprQs3ii~~·Hon • As I. will dononstr£>./tic ill this•,.,-:;\:-.:':,~.?'· .. :·.t-:::,.';:, ✓- 4 juc1<._,700nt the e~d0noe of. PUl is oo:rroborntocl by other wi tnossos,, I thus bog to o.nswor i□ suo No•l in tho c,i'-fim,:i,tivo 11 -. 2. "The issuo horo io whothor the ovi.clonce c.lisclosocl the offcnoo of' f';:,,lso protonco., T!"..oro is no doubt thc.,t tl~is is SOo Dut tho ropubM'.c hns to provo boyorul roc..sonnblo doubt tlmt it was tho n.ccusocl 1wroons H~10 d.icl it. This hns boon prov0cl ns ngninst tho 3rd a.ccused (nppollont) only. l fincl 3ro r.>.ccusocl guilty 2..s ohm-r,:od nnd convi.6t !::.:i.E 11, (Unclorlini:.1{; c1.:1..clocl) • T'.:10 other two lincistr2:hos w!10 pl'.Xticiprd;od in -'Gl10 trial dill, of course, \ sic,11 tho juc~"!Jont. Eu-'li c..a tl10 juc.lgncnt c.ppoc..rs to be on oxprossion of tho 'nincl of !iirs. Kionro o.J.ono, -t!10 propor thil'lG to clo wcs for t.Lc other MD,.sistra.tos fo. sign after incl.icatine th2.-~ thoy D{{rooc.l with ~t or othorwiso, Haro siCning wo1.,1lcl h2-vo boen appropri2:to if tl:c judgDcnt ~pressed their nincl.s too in tho forn of tho word ''lfo 11 c..s is tho prnctioo in tho Court of 11.ppecl w!.wn noro t!mn ono juc.1go ·hc..vo hoard c', r.mttor. I will nonotholess talco it in -!Qlis c2.se tlJ2,t 1:v signing tho juclcrJont the two other Hr:gistrc.tos ndoptocl Mrs,. K:L:1<'..ro's Dincl in tho c2.so c.nd tho juc1:;.,nont wo..s 0 truly joint jucl{.,:.10nt. f.ccol'(1..il1[;'ly, again, •· , no :foiluro of justice was ·ocoassionod; this irxoGUla.ri ty cor.1pl2,i11ocl o..l)out by II.1.~ • Ru.tasho lzy-a was curre,blo tooo 1:Q.l in nll then, tho evic.lonco in tho oc..so ostc..1Jlishocl bcyoncl <l<?u.bt th2.t t:10 0,ppollant oporatocl en :'.~:";,:; . •,': :·. ·. w!1ich wciro cloposi tocl forged choqu.os nncl Jlihc..t tho cheques wcro clopositoc.1 by hiu. The oviclonco shows o.J.so thc..t ho rcf'tmod to h2.vc a specir.1cin sic,;.10.turi of\ .his tnkon . to conpo.ro i·i; wi·h:.,_ those· . 011 tho two forgcc.l ohoques.,. IIo clom:-ly ·clic.l so i."1 orc.lor to o.,voicl l.:.is sie,nD,turo 1:,oil'lf,' iclontifiocl with thoso on tho f'orgocl cheques. Tho inforonoo t!10 only . ' :.:Jf'oronoo; which oc.n be c.l.rmm. fro□ cll thoso oircunstanoos is thc.t 210 is tho ono who f'or£5ocl tho 0!1oqu.cs, 1)y onclorsing tho..t thoy lJo clopositod into li.coount no~,:1,.434, nncl thon wi th!.lrow tl10: -tmiios cloposi tod in thc,t account in tiio fom of those oho.quos. Dy cloi...--ie so ho co□ni ttocl tho of:f"oncos ho w,:,,s o::.o.rc;od with in this on.so nnc.l ho w2.s ric,1tzy oonvictocl by the tricl court,. · ITis nppce,l to this court for t!J.oso roo.sons is without nori t c..ncl it is clisr.i::hsscd in its . v( rt\_f(i!tM I /11,: b. • L 0 K"lli.NDO JUDGE s/C/1988 5/'J/1900. Coro;.18 Iwnnclo, Ju.dgo For -hho Republic Iwmu.zi, Stcsto Attorney II Order,: 1..s Hr. Rutasholzyc. for tho c..ppollc.nt is c..lJsont nnc.1 i"li so0r.1.S .t;,<'.:t; :10 wn.s not scrvocl, joinod on 17/D/19GC.., lh·• Rutasb.orvc./0ppcJ.lont J\io be nctifiod• LoL.t. .. IITANDO Coron.: fyc.nd.o; Ju.d[~t! Ii'or t!io J..pp QJ.lon t s ni. Rutc..s!J.o byi'.l. :i 11 · Rcspq~clont/R·o~lllio: 1-Irt ~ i i , .St~to J.:ttorncy• .· . . i_,:;: oowiscl :fer both p,c..rtie~. j/ /} [Y-'{Q;l<S1 ( /tf:l~._t~K'l.JIDO JUDGE 1.n/11/19on.