19880929 TZHC Dar es Salaam
The proceedings were fatally flawed because only one assessor sat throughout, with the second joining midway, violating the mandatory requirement for two assessors to sit and participate in the decision. This procedural defect invalidated the primary court's proceedings and orders.
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- 19880929 TZHC Dar es Salaam
- Parties
- Appellant: Hassan Abdallah Chimtuneji; Respondent: Gultami Kiwani
- Court
- TZHC
- Jurisdiction
- Tanzania
- Judgment Date
- 29 September 1988
- Procedural Posture
- Civil Appeal / Final Appellate Decision
- Outcome
- appeal allowed
- Legal Topics
- Child Custody, Divorce, Magistrates' Court Procedure, Assessors
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Hassan Abdallah Chimtuneji
Appellant
Gultami Kiwani
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Final Appellate Decision
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the primary court's decision on child custody was valid given procedural irregularities regarding assessors
- 2 Whether the appellant was entitled to custody of the child under Islamic law
Ratio Decidendi
The proceedings were fatally flawed because only one assessor sat throughout, with the second joining midway, violating the mandatory requirement for two assessors to sit and participate in the decision. This procedural defect invalidated the primary court's proceedings and orders.
Court Disposition
appeal allowed
Orders
- The proceedings of the primary court are quashed.
- The orders of the primary court and the district court are set aside.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
. (PC) crvIL APPEAL HC'. 7 OF 1906 (Fro□ the . . . Cl0CJ..:3J..OD. oz t~o ::)iotrict Court of' Rufiji at Utetc i1: Civil il:_:,poc,l ITo. 11 of 1906) I-Lt..SSJ..ITI AD:::::>ALLAi::I c:-u-il'--fi'~'"l TGI • ~ • e • • • /}.P:i?~LL/.I-TT SULTM·JI IGWAIU 6 o • 0 • • 0 • • 0 • a I~SPCIDZIJT _liA IlJil. 2. J o The 1:1ppellant? Hns.sc:n f,bc1allnh Cl-ic.r.1tune;i, :filod · n suit in tho Prir.mry court OGcinst hi::; ::ot:1.or.-in-lG.w ~ the res:;_)onclent, Gul tcm.i ICiwcni for n chilc:. th~ np::_'.Jollant wc.s entitle<-~ to custody of the c~lilcl born to his wif'e Zaine.bu nf'tor t:10:/ -;10:;:,o :::;o:)o:::'ntocl,, On nppeal, the.. district court reversoc. tho clocision o'f: tl-:,_o prir.mry cour.t and hold thct the 6hil~ bolo~ccC to Zain □ bu 1 s second husban~, appealinc to this court. dauc:;htor, Zaino.bu, unc101.~ Iolr-:,:1.ic L:n-r. They lived toc;ether. for i:mny ycarG 8.nd t~1.oy ha.c.1 cI-iilc:ro1T .. T~en in 1904 tho a:;_)pollmfb isoued 11 tclnk 11 t;o 1-:.iG 1·1i:fo o Th.ct. wns · on 25 c 1 .1904. lTo decree of divorce wo.s i:Jsucc:. by the co;..~1.--t a Th0 wor.1211., Z.nin2bu, livcci uitl-:-.. his f'2:tl::.o~:' -;:;~lo rot;:;_)Oi'J.Ue:c.t c1:nc.1 on 19 J~:i_)ril 1984 ~aino.bu WE\S i:1crrieC::. to J:.lly D2rw:.:ni o She c1olhrc:;:-eci ti.J.o chi le: 0:1 t-i~ 20 Oc,tober, 1984, ,·rhcn she ·wo.o livinc 'di th he:." soco1:cl hucix\nclo Zo.innbu 1 .s. a:J:Jertion is thet s~e concoivoC nftor s~G w2s □ crried to Ally Daruc:ini, ~he ·ii:1plic2ticn beinc; t!-ic.t Ally Daruo.ni is the father o:f'th~ child,, t~20 :)l_~i::12.:...~y court anc: t::o n:_;:_:,ollc.1-;_-t e:;2.vo evic:onco on 1 6 • 9 • 1905, there were two nssestor::::, nn::10ly, Li. A. l-for..1~Jc, c1.ncl :a. A. Ej_1"l5inclo, On 10 10 .1905 when the hoe.ring G resu □ e~, and on all oubsoquc~t Gctos till finclisation of the In ot~"ler words, Mte.r:.1bo snt wi tl1. the !:mcistrnt0 after tr..o O?Pellont hnd given evi~enco. Go, Etm:ibo partici:~nt0d in tho proc0edinr3"s ·wl-:en the trinl :-:c.~c"'. nl:;.~ccc:y co::1r.1encod., It is 1:12.nclotory uncle::.~ section 7 (1) 2.nd (2) of _tho MaGistrates 1 Courts Ji.ct, f'or n prin:~ry cct:rt r..mcistrc.te to sit with not:; lesa thnn two asaessors nnc~ to obtnin their o::)inion in every decision r.mde e Tb.e decision r.1Ust be on t:10 : -..nj o:...~i ty of' votes between the □e.cistrate and the asscsoora. lTow, if' oi"lly one c:ssessor aito throuchout tho procoec~in::;o 1-Cdlo the scconc: asoessor joina in tI:::.c ;:.1iclcUe of' the :;_)rococc:inca, it cc11.1'lot be scic1 that oection In this . Thnt is enouch to dispose of tha c~~enl. The evidence ro-venls thnt the chilc:. in r_li::;::_)utc ,-ras bo:1."11 i;,-rhen tho rcs:;_)onc1ont 's Tho cI,.ild hno been in cuatody of its r.1otho:...~ 2:nc: illly :Jurunni oince i t W8.G born. custody of tho child 2t any ti□ e. Ono wonders ·why the o.:;_)pGl1.2nt suoc1 the rcs:)01,.G.ei,. t f'or cu □ tocly o:f ·c~-:e c~J.ilc. ins tend of' st.1inc Ally Dn:..~uani end tho rc:rn:;_::-o:::c:cnt I o c~cn..,c:1tcr $ The proceedines of' t:-io :;_,,riuc.ry oou:.. t a.re, for the foro- 1 c;oine:; renaons, quashed, 2::."lcl -b:.:e orc:o:...~s oi' tl:c pri□cry court nncl the district court aro set aside. court 2nd in the courts bclo,-r. \ T:T o J. l1J.IHJ.. 29 8.J:GPTEI'D2:~ l 900 -1:QPGR_ Aj_):i)ellnnt preacnt hCG~ondont·prosorit. Cortisf'ied true co~y o~ tho orici~nl.