19941013 TZHC Dodoma

IN TI.UE HIGH COURT OF ~ru AT :CODON.;;. · CTIIMIN2, :~PE.'..1 NO. 1989 OF 1993 (FROM Tlllli l)J:STRIM OOURT OF :OOllOW.. DI~~ l.!r. DODOID. Il CPJMIN..U:, c:..sE NO. '95 OF 1992) w:.N:O,J.,I wnnu DONON::.LI••••...:J?:PELL:JITT VERUS Tl]]! rtErt.trll,IC •••••••••••••••llESPQNJllfW' JU1'GMENT Ma.ina. 1 J~ "JJ}le a:):;>ellant _wa,: convicted of' being in unla,f.fu].ly :irossession of a.r:irrtmi tioIJ. an"~ th~ w.at.:d.o-t. court eentenc~d. hin to '-PFi:ao~t. ~~ . f ' i ~ ~ea.rs. The ap))_,al is against the conviction. 'lllere ,ras no dispute that one bw.let was found in the appellanHs _house. 1 t was :n the pocket of his· jacket which was hidden under the bed. , The search was,.e:onduoted' in the a.ppellant•e house in his presence because police had. inf< 1 __,ation that there were ca-ns and a1:1ouni tion in his house. The arpella.nt's defence was that he had received the a.r.iounition froo a person vrhon he did not kno"r, and he kept it until it was found by police officert, who searched his house. %.e only issu~, therefore, is whether the porsession of the ar.~nmition was unlawf'u.1 0 I agree with Mr. Nya.biri, lcarno1 State Attorney, that the appellant's possession of the ..I. a.r.Jr.lU!li tion was L7.nlawi'u.lo t is inconceivable that tho appellant would have. received a. bulL,t f'ron an ~own p-,,;r13on, let tho p~rson · r;o awey, and then keep the a.DIJU.nition under his bod. Clearly, the appellant knew very well that he was in unauthoiized possession of the a.tnuni tion, and that it was unlawful to keep it. in l.is possession~ Ile decided to hide it under his "'"-i• The conviction was sound. In scr.tencing tho appellant, the +::.al Da[ist::cato ·said that the se1;tencc was t.,o nininur:. proscri"cod. 1::y la-we Section 5 of tl16 miniGun Sentences ..'..ct, 1972 2,S C :J.. d.od 'by .:ct lJo. 10 of 19c· :;alcos .a w.stinction hltween ' r.11.1...'1.i tions o:f -i 1fi and civilian L-.:1.mi t.,:,ns,, :ih-::.re t~G uoa}:'ons or i:1e.tc::-ials are c i vilia.n ~1J.:·_r; · er ar1r_,uni tion, tho so:1tGnco s:1all to r:ot ~ lG es thar. sovon yca.rs<i Tl":.o:.·c was no ovidoncc tLat tho ;,:;;. :r:un.i tion found in appellant's ' . - :Possession W?.s :'.""c.;.::1i tion of -;-re;r,, T:::.c scn-'_:cnco i:::.;ccod 1:cy tho trial nacistrato was illoe,aL l:.e,d. no jurisC:_iction + · I;GH? su.ch a. sontcnco., / 2 Tho appcaJ. ¾8-in~ o ~ i,&>. di~~...a.. ..a.lltcl EllQ ~nc.:, Lo rodu.eod. '!'f,O. ..scvon (7j. .years i11p1~:isonr.1ont~ \ (w_.,. Maina~,- JODGE i..ppollant a.bsoni' Iv1.r,, Nyal:,iri, Stat~ ..'...t~, for ~.hG Ropu,:li(e . I