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Tanzania Judgment

TZCA

jackson protaz vs republic 2019 tzca 513 3 december 2019

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Professional case brief

Research organized from the available case record

Source document

01

Holding and result

Failure to comply with the High Court's order for mental examination and failure to consider the medical report resulted in an unfair trial, necessitating quashing of proceedings and a retrial.

Court disposition

appeal allowed; proceedings quashed; retrial ordered

Orders

  • Proceedings, judgment, and conviction by the trial court quashed
  • Sentence set aside
  • Retrial before a different judge ordered
  • Medical report to be considered at retrial
  • High Court directed to expedite trial
  • Appellant to remain in custody pending retrial

02

Material facts

Parties

Jackson Protaz

Appellant Counsel: Josephat S. Rweyemamu

The Republic

Respondent Counsel: Suzan Masule

Amounts and remedies

  • Years in Remand Prison: 4

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Criminal Appeal / Ruling on Appeal

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Party arguments

Applicant
The defense intended to raise insanity and requested a mental examination, which was not properly considered at trial.
Respondent
The prosecution did not object to the request for mental examination.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    section 220(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act [CAP 20 R.E 2002]

    A fair trial requires compliance with court orders regarding mental examination when insanity is raised as a defense.

  2. 02

    section 4(2) of the Appellate Jurisdiction Act [CAP 141 R.E. 2002]

    Appellate courts have revisional powers to quash proceedings where there is a miscarriage of justice.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

Failure to comply with the High Court's order for mental examination and failure to consider the medical report resulted in an unfair trial, necessitating quashing of proceedings and a retrial.

Obiter and limits

  • The High Court is directed to expedite the retrial due to the appellant's prolonged custody.

Court disposition

appeal allowed; proceedings quashed; retrial ordered

  • Proceedings, judgment, and conviction by the trial court quashed
  • Sentence set aside
  • Retrial before a different judge ordered
  • Medical report to be considered at retrial
  • High Court directed to expedite trial
  • Appellant to remain in custody pending retrial

Source and reliance status

TZCA · 3 December 2019

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Judgment reading view

Judgment text

The complete available source text.

Source document

TZCA

Judgment· 3 December 2019

jackson protaz vs republic 2019 tzca 513 3 december 2019

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF TANZANIA

AT BUKOBA ( CORAM: MMILLA , J.A.. MZIRAY. J.A.. And KWARIKO, J.A.^ CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 442 OF 2018 JACKSON PROTAZ........... .............................................................APPELLANT

VERSUS THE REPUBLIC............................................................................ RESPONDENT (Appeal from the decision of the Resident Magistrate's Court of Kagera (Ext. Jurisdiction) held at Karagwe) (Kahvoza, PRM - Ext. Jurisdiction’) dated the 12nd day of November, 2018 in Criminal Sessions Case No. 53 of 2017

RULING OF THE COURT 3rd December, 2019 KWARIKO, 3.A.: When the appeal was called on for hearing, Mr. Josephat S. Rweyemamu, learned advocate, appeared for the appellant while Ms. Suzan Masule, learned State Attorney, represented the respondent/Republic. Before the hearing commenced in earnest, we wanted to satisfy ourselves whether the order of the High Court dated 11/9/2016 was complied with. Earlier, on that date the defence counsel had informed the Court that, the defence was intending, at the trial, to raise the defence of insanity. As such it implored the Court to make an order for the appellant to be sent to a mental hospital for examination of his mental status at the time he was alleged to have committed the offence of murder. The prosecution did not object the prayer. The High Court granted the prayer and in terms of section 220(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act [CAP 20 R.E 2002], it ordered the appellant to be sent to a mental hospital for examination of his mental status at the time he was alleged to have committed the offence. The counsel for the parties agreed that the High Court order was not complied with and this matter was not raised during the appellant's trial. However, upon perusal of the Court record, we found the medical officer's report from Isanga Institution dated 5/1/2018 and received by the High Court on 19/2/2018. This report was nevertheless not

considered by the High Court in accordance with the law. It is our considered view that, following that omission, there was no fair trial. Thus, invoking our revisional powers under section 4(2) of the Appellate Jurisdiction Act [CAP 141 R.E. 2002], we hereby quash the proceedings, judgment and conviction by the trial Court and set aside the sentence against the appellant. We order a trial of the appellant denovo before a different judge where the medical report will be considered. We further direct the High Court to hold trial expeditely in this regard because the appellant had been in remand prison since January, 2015 and a prisoner from November, 2018. Meanwhile, the appellant shall remain in custody waiting his retrial. It is so ordered. DATED at BUKOBA this 3rd day of December, 2019 B. M. MMILLA

JUSTICE OF APPEAL R. E. MZIRAY

JUSTICE OF APPEAL M. A. KWARIKO

JUSTICE OF APPEAL I certify that this is a true copy of the original. B. A. MPEPO

DEPUTY REGISTRAR

COURT OF APPEAL

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Authorities

Authorities used by the court

Cases, legislation, regulations, and constitutional provisions identified in the available record.

Criminal Procedure Act [CAP 20 R.E 2002] section 220(1)

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

Appellate Jurisdiction Act [CAP 141 R.E. 2002] section 4(2)

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

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