jackson protaz vs republic 2019 tzca 513 3 december 2019
- Citation
- jackson protaz vs republic 2019 tzca 513 3 december 2019
- Status
- Judgment
- Jurisdiction
- Tanzania
- Court
- TZCA
- Decision
- 3 December 2019
- Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Ruling on Appeal
- Language
- English
More details
- Court
- TZCA
- Decision
- 3 December 2019
- Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Ruling on Appeal
- Language
- English
On this page
Professional case brief
Research organized from the available case record
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. RweyemamuThe Republic
Respondent Counsel: Suzan MasuleAmounts and remedies
- Years in Remand Prison: 4
03
Procedural history
Posture
Criminal Appeal / Ruling on Appeal
04
Questions and positions
Legal issues
- 01
Whether the High Court's order for mental examination was complied with
- 02
Whether failure to consider the medical report affected the fairness of the trial
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
Legal principles
- 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.
- 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
This page organises the available record for research. Confirm quotations, current status, and subsequent treatment against the official source before relying on the case.
Judgment reading view
Judgment text
The complete available source text.
TZCA
Judgment· 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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