[2013] UGHCCRD 63
The court found that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused. The only evidence implicating the accused was a statement admitting to an assault, but it did not specify the weapon used or directly connect the accused's actions to the fatal injuries. The postmortem report suggested...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2013] UGHCCRD 63
- Parties
- Applicant: Uganda; Defendant: Byaruhanga Godfrey & Another
- Court
- HC: Criminal Division (Uganda)
- Jurisdiction
- Uganda
- Case Number
- Criminal Session No. 0010 of 2010
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Session / Ruling on No Case to Answer
- Outcome
- acquittal
- Legal Topics
- Murder, Prima Facie Case, Causation, Evidence Assessment
- Source Language
- english
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Uganda
Applicant
Byaruhanga Godfrey & Another
Defendant
Procedural Posture
Criminal Session / Ruling on No Case to Answer
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the prosecution has established a prima facie case against the accused to require them to be put on their defence.
- 2 Whether the evidence links the accused to the unlawful act that caused the deceased's death.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused. The only evidence implicating the accused was a statement admitting to an assault, but it did not specify the weapon used or directly connect the accused's actions to the fatal injuries. The postmortem report suggested the use of a stone or clubs, but no witness corroborated this or described the events after the deceased fell. The possibility that someone else inflicted the fatal injuries was not excluded. Therefore, the evidence did not sufficiently link the accused to the unlawful act causing death, and the accused could not be required to answer the charge.
Court Disposition
acquittal
Orders
- The accused is found not guilty and acquitted.
- The accused is to be set free forthwith unless lawfully held on other charges.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
19 paragraphs
**CRIMINAL SESSION NO. 0010 OF 2010**
**UGANDA :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: PROSECUTOR**
**VERSUS**
**BYARUHANGA GODFREY & ANOTHER ::::::::::::::::::::::: ACCUSED**
**RULING**
The prosecution called three witnesses and closed its case. The question for my consideration is whether a prima facie case has been made out.
It is trite the primary consideration on a no case to answer is whether a reasonable tribunal properly directing its mind to the law and evidence available could convict if the accused was to say nothing.
There is no doubt the deceased Besigensi Moses is dead. According to the postmortem report he died of injuries on the head that resulted into brain damage. His death was therefore unlawfully caused.
The question is whether there is evidence that tends to link the accused to the act that gave rise to the injuries that caused the deceased’s death.
The only evidence on record is contained in the charge caution statement of the accused not amounting to a confession, where he admitted that he with others assaulted the deceased. The statement goes on to say when they assaulted him the deceased ran away but fell down and they did not assault him again.
Firstly, the postmortem report states that a stone or clubs were the probable weapons used in assaulting the deceased. The charge and caution statement does not state what weapon the accused and others used to assault the deceased. No witness was called to describe the manner and weapon, if any, the accused and othershad at the time.
Secondly, it is not known what happened to the deceased after he fell down. The possibility that some other person(s) set upon him and assaulted him causing the injuries on the head is not ruled out. It is not for the court to conjecture no other person(s) assaulted him other than the accused and his colleagues.
In effect, there is a gap in the prosecution evidence between the accused’s act of assault and the cause of death of the deceased.
In my view, if the accused chose to remain silent, this court would find it hard to hold he was responsible for the unlawful act that resulted in the injuries that caused the deceased’s death. I would therefore hold no prima facie case has been made out requiring the accused to be put on his defence.
Accordingly, I enter a finding of not guilty and do acquit him. It is ordered he be set free forthwith unless he is lawfully held on other charges.
**SIGNED**
**BYABAKAMA MUGENYI SIMON**
**RESIDENT JUDGE**
**16TH OCTOBER 2013**