19980715 TZHC Dar es Salaam
Evidence showed the first accused handled the pistol and the appellant was not involved in the theft; prosecution failed to prove the case against the appellant beyond reasonable doubt.
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- 19980715 TZHC Dar es Salaam
- Parties
- Appellant: Ex D.2921 P.C. Robert; Respondent: The Court Republic
- Court
- TZHC
- Jurisdiction
- Tanzania
- Judgment Date
- 15 July 1998
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Judgment
- Outcome
- appeal allowed; conviction quashed; sentence set aside
- Legal Topics
- Stealing by Public Servant, Appeal Against Conviction, Appeal Against Sentence
- Source Language
- english
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Ex D.2921 P.C. Robert
Appellant
The Court Republic
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the appellant was properly convicted for stealing by public servant
- 2 Whether the trial court erred in hearing the case in the appellant's absence
Ratio Decidendi
Evidence showed the first accused handled the pistol and the appellant was not involved in the theft; prosecution failed to prove the case against the appellant beyond reasonable doubt.
Court Disposition
appeal allowed; conviction quashed; sentence set aside
Orders
- Appellant Ex D.2921 P.C. Robert to be released forthwith unless otherwise lawfully held
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
ni TEE m:a:r COURT OF TANZ1u1ll F DAR fil3 S.A.LA.A.M 1 :r... I 1 APPEWI.TE JURISDICTION }IlgR CO~T CRIMINAL~ N0._,1~ OF 19~ {:B'.lom o.,,j,ginal ~icl.:'lclJ. Case No• 1362 of 1986. the Dis~iot of Court; of Ila.la District ai KiVUkoni' Bofo:ce · :· Ut1,1SUYA Esqf · Resiclent 14agistl'ate . . EX. D.2921 PeC, RaBERT •• •••••••••nouu •ou•••••• • .APPELL4?IT ( Oric;f.n.al J\oeused) . versus TEE' OOTJml REPUBL!.O,..:·~~ •••........., ....., ....- ·-......,. ••• P..ESP01:~DENT -.••I • . . ( ~ ~Qp<gt~►-- JUDGMEHT .... -"',·.~ BHJ.'n•• ►• J • ·. The. appellant Ex: Folioe Constable No,. ll.2921 P.c, Roberl iTaa .' . oo:n"liotod of tho, offenoe o:t staaling by publio G°""1ant under seo-'uion . ... 2"10 and. . 265 ,of ...;he Pen~ . Coda, and ·w~s- aentenood ... . . . to t~ll.'ee yocirs ' impti- ...., . sonment~ ·He. is now· appon.l.inc,- both against eonviotion and_ acmto:1.00. ~ . . (.. ~ - . .Tt..1.e faets we~o t~.t -0110 passenger by tho namo of Habib &..o::odi:.ta. ~ . plane bou..u1 :fo:r Ar-usha. before teke off• One of ~us ;p:to- . cli~"- on an ATC ' , po~-'Gie,s was . a. pistol whioh · wr.s handed over to tho appollant who wcs ·on dut-J o.t thG Airport' Polico Sta/.;ion. The appellant in turn -hant.ocl it over t.Q the first accusec! ,ex Polioa Corporal Aidan Fatw.ci who was_ ~ ~haJ!c,-o of t!~o armoury. ~ Tho pistol 11':.S not·•found whon t.b.e :t'ela.tives . of tho claooa.sed olro.me~'tho ·pistol• T!1is lo~ to the a:rrcst of the appell~t ancl·Co~poral Atc1.oli Fa.ta.lei who wore than oh~god with stealing by publie sc::i.-vant • .. In his petition of e;ppor.J., the appellant has set out his defonoo vrhioh he had no opP.o~tuiu.ty to give because ho had absconded du:r:i.ng -'uhe ... • e trtciJ.. He has also ohallongad tho a.etion of the trial. oou:rt. in hoaring, . t::o oaso in his absence. P'.J.e appellant b.oo. no·l;hing to add. to ll.ip potition of appeal. . •. ... "' Mr. Sen~ji, ,le2~ecl S·~e.ta Attorney, did not support the 0011-viotion 1.i. .resp!)dt of. the ··appolln,.rb ... He argued that according to the e~vic'\onoo of - ~ . PW3 ~d m the pistol was ht.j,'ldl.Gd. by- the fti!st acc.ua<1d Corporzl. Fatcld; 'fl l I • -- . 2 - and PW1 -jjolcl JGllo Court that tho 1st a.ocusecl. wa.s in oha.rge of tl:Ql a:rmou:cy alld whan contacted for the pistol he s2.ic'l. that tho pistol : • .... '• , 1 was collected by State I:ot,.se Officials• N:r • Se11C:,-uji submitted further tha-b it was the first aooused and not the appelle.ir~ who !<now about the pistol. Re oonolud~d that s:bo)e the prosecution witnesses were sey"ing that it is 1st accused who handled· t- ~~ the gun the appellant couJ.cl not have stolen it, He !IL'a;rGd tI:2:'li the appeal be ~-llowea.. I a(,TGO wi. th the lea:rned Si:;a-'lie Attorney tha;~ the. evidence oloa:r].y shows tha·l; it was tho first a.ocused who was hanclec1 over the ·gun and who told tha ·witnesses tha.t State House o:ffioicl.s had. taken tho ~ • Therefore the a,ppellant oouia. 11ot have been involved b the theft of the gm.1. Plf'.3 Joye,;3 Endon saw tha appellant hand crvor ·lihe pistol to the :first acoused. By .then P1i'3 was 1rrorking at the Ai:J:'port Police Station. t PY7 Assistant Inspeotor Esther.· said that t.he tus-'a oocused told him that he liai!. given the pistol to a. State Hoµse official and an Indian. Hore eeai.11 tho ev:i.denoa excludes the appellant, Therefore, even wi tho\l.t the def'once of the appellant, the:..~case against tha appellant was not pr·oved. b<zyo11d. aJ.1 l'ea~o~le doubt because -iha ovidDnoe given was Pointing at the fhst accused CtP'.'Pol'al Fatalti.• For t2le above reasons, I allow the a.ppeaJ., c_rua.sh the oon:-ri9tion and set asido ·Ii.ha sentonoo. The appellant Ex D 2921 P .c, Roberi; shoUld bo released forthwith unless otherwise law:t'ully hGld.. / ,·_·. .... -···~~-:_.---- . I ~--~-'-----~ .. ··• ... __ JUDGE 15/7/19$t.. Delivered in Court Mias Kit-rc'll.Ga for the Republic .Appellru.1t D.bsont. ---· _,_------··--·-~ ·-·· /uBAHATI JUDGE 15/7/1992. ...