19900125 TZHC Dar es Salaam
- Citation
- 19900125 TZHC Dar es Salaam
- Status
- Judgment
- Jurisdiction
- Tanzania
- Court
- TZHC
- Decision
- 25 January 1990
- Posture
- Civil Appeal / Judgment
- Language
- English
More details
- Court
- TZHC
- Decision
- 25 January 1990
- Posture
- Civil Appeal / Judgment
- Language
- English
On this page
Professional case brief
Research organized from the available case record
01
Holding and result
The respondent was entitled to full salary for the period from arrest to acquittal because the employer did not suspend or terminate him, and his absence was reasonable due to pending criminal proceedings and employer's inaction.
Court disposition
appeal dismissed
Orders
- Appellant to pay respondent full salary for the period from 9 May 1979 to 29 February 1980 totaling Shs. 16,600/=
- Appellant to pay costs of the appeal
02
Material facts
Parties
Matsushita Electric Co. Ltd.
Appellant Counsel: Mr. MathiasJoshua Melamedi
RespondentAmounts and remedies
- Salary Awarded: Shs 16,600
03
Procedural history
Posture
Civil Appeal / Judgment
04
Questions and positions
Legal issues
- 01
Whether the respondent was entitled to salary and benefits during the period of criminal proceedings when not suspended by the employer
- 02
Whether the respondent was entitled to full salary from the date of arrest to the date of acquittal
- 03
Whether the respondent was entitled to salary beyond acquittal until reinstatement or formal termination
Party arguments
- Applicant
- The respondent, though not suspended, never reported for work during the criminal proceedings and thus was not entitled to payment. By his conduct, he terminated his own employment and was not entitled to any salary.
- Respondent
- The respondent was not suspended by the employer and sought payment of salary and benefits for the period he was absent due to criminal proceedings, and the employer failed to respond to his demands or formally terminate his employment.
05
Court’s reasoning
Legal principles
- 01
Security of Employment Act, 1964 as amended
An employee not suspended by the employer remains entitled to salary unless formally terminated or suspended, even if facing criminal charges.
- 02
Trial court's findings and statutory interpretation
Absence from work on advice of prosecution during pending criminal charges does not amount to voluntary termination by the employee if the employer does not exercise its rights under employment law.
06
Ratio, limits and disposition
Ratio decidendi
The respondent was entitled to full salary for the period from arrest to acquittal because the employer did not suspend or terminate him, and his absence was reasonable due to pending criminal proceedings and employer's inaction.
Obiter and limits
- The respondent desisted from coming to work on advice of prosecution to avoid interfering with investigations.
- The employer's failure to respond or exercise its rights under the Security of Employment Act contributed to the respondent's entitlement.
Court disposition
appeal dismissed
- Appellant to pay respondent full salary for the period from 9 May 1979 to 29 February 1980 totaling Shs. 16,600/=
- Appellant to pay costs of the appeal
Source and reliance status
TZHC · 25 January 1990
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.
TZHC
Judgment· 25 January 1990
l!I: Dl.17. BS SLLJ.'J:J! CIVIL 12?ELL !Ti), 12 OF 1902 ._, ._..,J_ Kisutu El:iploy:::cnt C,':'.i..WC no • ( Ori,·•i;i-'-7 37 of 1920) 1·1LS:SUSJD~L ELECTIU C CO • LTD • ( :C ~:~. ) 0 • 0 JOSIJJA HlJCUlillI t O O o t. • 0 • N Tz II ---- :8 I:JIBfJJl.~ J. r.,.Ll'.C , rcl_ .••. . .-'l,•_;or1,-1.· - .• J.·1--, oi' 11 - +_1,_.c v ... .... ".L.-, ..; to t'•J. 0 ")""'·v 0 "' J... 0 "P""C"l "' c..·. "' 1, ._, ;,.. ·-"' t.' + of' cnp1 oycr/ ,_1:-.,_, or:iployco ~ Ilt:.TSLJS::I[liA ELECTIUC ~'..1, LTD.o i;~10 o,ppclh,nt? w::.s umr. the cnployc:r:, of JOSTIUL II.l'..:I,.J1Dls tho rc::iponc~cnt -JOS:Io:b. rfrJGJ?mI wnr3 cr.1ployccl o,s en Lncounts .t.. osistc-..i.1t. On coDpldntJJy r-k',t::.,'Us::citc, Elcct:cic Cob Ltcl.,, Joshue, lbklmc1.:i. w2,s 2.I'rcstcc1- by tho poEce on 12-lil: Lp:r-il 9 _-1979 2.nc1. on _24th .l.r>rilj 1979 cl1<'.X[;'cd witl: stc;:-,l::..i.1C by scrvnnt o/s 271 of tllc Fencl Coclca IIo rcoo..inccl in rcu"".1lc1. -. cus-col'.J" u~, -'i;o 1 Otl: N43r 9 ·1979 wl'.011 he i'Ti:'.,S grontccl lJ;:,,ili, :Jc wo.s cvc1rtv.cly c1isc1:.c..rs·cC:'.. rn1clcr s,.200 of t:::c C:rini1'l0l f-roccclurc Coclc on 1st r-1c..rch, i900. (SGc Cr. Cr-:so IJo., 340/79 - RG.siclcnt HCB"istrc:.tos Court, ICivukoni, D2.r cs J 0 li"A':.D)., H is not in dispute th!"."li c.::;oopt for onco, JOSE'Cl~ r.Ii'JC'JNJJI never .rc:cJo:r-tocl for work o;l; l.fr'..tsus.'•1itc.. Electric Co. Ltc1-. for the
ti::!c: l10 w:os c.rrcstccl ·l;o tl:.t, tine ::..c. lrr'.,S c1:.ischcT,ZCCl by tho J.csiclcn·~ rlo.cistro,tcs Court on 1st M:c.rch, 1soo. ,- 'j Ire l:.~Li_ on 1Jt!1 !·ueust, 1979 cone -tc ~1is c □ploycr to c'cs:.c for half s2.lc'.l'J' '.'.ncl \ ru\i," othcJ7 ~)Gi1c:fi-cs tl':.0t i.:1i::-:;ht h.";vc :-.cc7noc1. to l:.ir.1~ Ee u;',e not p2,ic1- 2.1zyt::.ine;-, he 1-:.r,el lJGC!l tolcl t~~ 7,t he coulc1- ilOt 1JC r-i-,icl ~7.nYtl).in;:-; .'.'..S ~lC :.,21.l DJJ sconl'.cc!. i'l"'OfJ work~ Ire oontinucc1. his efforts for ~1"JT::1cnt of or..lo.ry ~JY writing <'- lct-kr- to . , tl:.o conpt'.l1Y. Ire r0ccivccl no rcpl,;"'r, It is fv.rthcr not c1.is:1utccl tl1d rlr:l;sus~1i to, Electric Co., Ltcl. !J.c'.Cl not c::crciscr1_ its ric;hts m1tlcr the sccuri ty of :2:r:1rloy:1011t l.c;t, 1964 to suspcnclccl Joshu0 Ilcl:i-1. m1-i, Findi!li'.1' his cni1loyors not rcBpornling to his c,.K1cncls, he (Joshu0, Mclai:nc1.i) su.ccl ther., o,t tlio District Court of Ibl,:,, 2.t I(i01.1.tu. 3 issuos were fixed. by t~1c courtg - 2 - fxoo 9/5/79 till 29/2/80 w1c"!..er S,,29 (3) of tho Socuri ty of Enploy::1eat ;.ct, ,1964 o..s c,··:cnclccl by !..ct Ifo111 of' 1975 -Le •. S~"-?•13?300/= 2,. 1'11.".ct>...or tl:c plz-,:..ffi;ii:Z li[',S anti tlcc1 -to ;; s'.'J::,;ry fro,.l 9th N.--y, -~ill 29th Fe~:;rv..,-:ry, 19eo £',S ~,er court ordor in jt:r1D:1ci.1t on CrL;in,'.'.,l 8:::::-e IT:J.,,340/79 - shooD,300/=;
or 3, Whet:1cr t~1c j_:l;--,inti:.:i W:'.'..8 cnti tlccl to fnll SNC'.:t'Y frou 1st H:crc::, 198.o omr'.'.rdo ?.'.ntil suci: ti,.1c whon tl1e c □ployor ;:,1,'.'J::cr::: up ,, c'..cciuion to ci-t:::or roinstc..tc 1 terni110..te t or c1.i:micc t::o con1)l:,in~1t fron cr.1i)loyocnt in so fr:r a.s l:e l::.e,s not tc cl2.,tc no.de up .-::. clocisione ·eho tri.:-,1 co;,:.Tjli ci.nswcrcd t:::e tl:ircl isnuc in t)1e n.0 6 2.tivo. IIc however ;:-.nsworod ism:,.cs one :'.ilc1 two L1 tl.:c posij0ivo i:a t:~c fo_llowii'l(; terns& tho clc.te he w;:-,8 C'.J'.'J:'e ffliecl U:P to t:1e r.l:--..tc !'.c w::.s acqui tfoc'\.. This r::c.::-ns th.:ct tJ:;.e cle:E'cnd.Mt cor.lj_):-•.ny uc-,13 in ['.ITC r..r s of :full WDgcs with rec::-.:cc1- to t:1c Pl.,.,,intifffs ;:1ont:11y Salc'.'..I'y ,'.'.,D :fror.1 9/5/79 to 29/2/0o. This fincline; is h1 2.nsuor to issue ntmlJcr ( 1) coo"binecl ,rii:: issuo nur:iber (2) i.e. the Pln.intif"f is cntitloc.l to totc..l cl::,1.r.: of sl:s.16,600/= boc2Uso of t:.10 :'..,:.li' 1 sdc.ry he d.icl not receive wt.on t~:c crinin;,l chn:rce ~c'..inst l:;.ir.1 1-rn.s still pe:acl.in,; in court; 2. ncl t~1e other hc..lf pzy tl:.e result of -;;:.:.c Pl.:-,in·;;iff 1 s -tot:::l :-'.Dqv.i-ct::..l of tl:c criwin'.'..l chc.rc.;o, 11 T:.:c l'l'."'.:~susl:i to.. Electric Co:·.11J.:-;ay (E"li.•) Ltclo c.rc C..Pi)ediJ.16 ;:,.eninst -'c~1is finc"'_i.nc • lh•, ~"l.c..ithdho..,
leC'.J:'ncc. .'.'.Clvoct•.;cc i'or t~:.o. o..ppcll'."\.llt su't;:ii ttccl .,lih'."..t fao rcsponclent, tl1ough not suspenclcc1. °!)y -t!:.o o..ppcllc,.nt co□~)/\1'.IY w;1011 fo..ci.nc <-', criGii1cl Cllc'.'..I'co never went to iroJ:l:.: <'..i.1C:. t?1 ...,,t this WG-G tJ:o position oven when acqui ttccl of stonline by servr:.nt. !Io sub::ii ttec1.. fu.:cthcr th~t even [.'..t t:1c tioc ho (re01,onclont) wc1,s f.'.c..Cine the c:d:·.1i:;,12,l chnrGGt he ~12.Cl bcon lookinc :.for cr.1ployr,1c;,y~. Ily t~:i.is conc~uct 1 I·:i.i:, il'."'..it~ ::.th2, went on to sub;.1i t, tho re :J)onclcnt 0 h2.el tox.:-.1in;:,,tocl his cnploy'!:lont ..rH)::. ·!i?.:..o o,~)l)Clb.nt 2..l'lc'~ consoqucntly w::-..G not cntitlec:. to ~ pcy-.:-.10nt, -3- Trit::. :rc::i:)oct, I soc 11.0 r.c:.i.·H in t::e suboissions b~r Nr. R2,it!:.i.2,tLc.• T!.:.c lG::-.:rnccl t;riC'.1 1:1c'.'.3istrc,to hC'f.1. r'.l1.c1...rcssocl hiosolf to tl--o,::c vory points :'llc.l l'.r.cl co,.1c 2.ftcr very oTJlc..ustivc c::2J.1i:nr'..ti0n of the, cvicl.r,,1<.;0 o.: record, to t?lG conclusion t:.:-..0t tho rospoi1clont 1-r:--.s on-~i tlccl t_:, tb.o JY'.JI .. 0;;1 n ,. ::.,: r,, 16,600/:::-• I c>..Ccc:"t t::o finclint~s of tl10 trir::l 00:.1.::ct tl1e,t l:.:.c1. :ic'.C1.c t::o rosponc1.cnt not e;o . ' to work tl:ov-G'll not $US;)Gnclccl by his cr.i.:;_)loycr o..s rer~sont',1.Jlc. For soDcti:.10, the rcs)o:;.1.,lcnt desisted f:ro,J
coi:J.C to his pio.co of' i:ror::: on tho c-.c1.vioc o:2 t!10 prosecu"lio:r of tbc crii:1in2.l cl::--J.'CC :::.c u2..s f.:,,cinc; i,.c.., not to '.),ppcc.:c c':'~ i:-rorl;: lest l:c (:i:os:::ionc'.ent) oicht be saon c,s intcnclinc to i!1torfonr with the cri:.1in!'..l invcsti3·2,tions of t~·.o co.so ho w:-',s fo..cin[;' o.ncl 12..tcr on bocc-,uso tho conpc-,ny ::~l infornccl the rcsi)oilclciTi; th,~t it dicl not :.cococ;niso !1:in cnploycc ► Tl10 2..ppc-u is wi tllout L1crit <'.J::fcl is nccorc.'.i110 ly clis::iisscc'.. ,;-rith cost so r .. -..... ,.......
JUDGE 25/1/1990 Coren g TIU:ClJ.'.If., J • l\lror ri<'.I':--11clo/IIr.~ Ildtl..:o.t!;.c., for 0l)pollr>.ntc,. Ilcsponc'.cnt .'.",bsont., I Y.'-J..ITi'i. RuDl\J'IL.
JUDGE 2_5/1/1990
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