[2010] UGHC 98

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{\b\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA}{\b\insrsid9329154\charrsid14766419 \par }{\b\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 IN THE HIGH COURT OF UGANDA }{\b\insrsid4728874\charrsid14766419 HOLDEN }{\b\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 AT ARUA}{\b\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \par }{\b\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 CRIMINAL SESSION CASE NO. 0097 OF 2008}{\b\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \par \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15470521 {\b\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \par }{\b\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 UGANDA\tab \tab :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::\tab \tab PROSECUTOR}{\b\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \par \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15470521 {\b\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 =VERSUS=}{\b\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15470521 {\b\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \par }{\b\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 OLAR JAMES\tab \tab :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::\tab \tab ACCUSED}{\b\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \par \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15470521 {\b\ul\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 BEFORE HON. JUSTICE J. W. KWESIGA}{\b\ul\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \par }{\b\ul\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 JUDGMENT}{\b\ul\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15470521 {\b\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 OLAR JAMES, the Accused person is indicted for Murder contrary to sections 188 and 189 of the Penal Code Act.}{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 }{\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 It is alleged in the particulars of the offence tat on 18}{\super\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 th}{\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 April, 2008 at Nyibola Alisi Tungu in Nebbi District the accused person murdered Arua Charles. \par }{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 The Accused person pleaded Not guilty to the indictment. It is settled that the moment an accused person pleads not guilty to a criminal charge, he shall be presumed not guilty until the prosecu}{ \insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 tion proves that he is guilty. }{\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 The burden of proof falls upon the prosecution and shall remain upon the prosecution throughout the trial. The prosecution can only discharge the burden of proof by adducing sufficient evidence that proves the essential elements of the offence and in t he instant case they are the following:- \par {\listtext\pard\plain\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 a)\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-360\li720\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx720\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls1\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid15470521 { \insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 That the person named as the deceased is actually dead. \par {\listtext\pard\plain\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 b)\tab}That the death was caused unlawfully. \par {\listtext\pard\plain\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 c)\tab}That the death was caused with malice aforethought. \par {\listtext\pard\plain\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 d)\tab}That the accused person participated in causing the death. \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15470521 {\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 See }{\b\ul\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 Uganda Vs Okello [1992 \endash 1993] HCB 68. \par }{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 The moment any of the above setout ingredients of the offence is not proved}{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 ,}{\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 the accused person would be entitled to being acquitted. The }{ \insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 standard}{\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 of proof must be}{\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 beyond reasonable doubt. \par \par PW 6 MORRIS NGAGENO a clinical o fficer at Nebbi Hospital, a holder of a certificate in Pharmacology, Diploma in Clinical Medicine with experience in post-mortem examinations, examined the dead body identified to him as that of ARUA CHARLES by Kerwegi Florence. He observed multiple cut wounds on the face, the head and a broken skull. He assessed the cause of death as the severe head injury with circulatory fracture. The Postmortem report was admitted as prosecution }{\ul\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 exhibit P. IV}{ \ul\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 .}{\ul\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 \par }{\ul\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 PW 1 TABU }{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 HASSAN }{\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 knew the deceased as a workmate at the same boda boda transport stage or station and that on 18}{ \super\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 th}{\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 April 2008 he saw the deceased }{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 alive,}{\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 left the stage at 8.00pm to transport the accused.}{ \insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 }{\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 The next }{\insrsid10900432\charrsid14766419 thing is that }{\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 he was among the people that went to the scene where a dead body was reported. He identified the body as that of Arua Charles. He saw the body lying on its back, it had a cut wound on the central front part of the head. \par }{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 PW.2 Onencan Sadik also observed the wo}{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 unds and identified Arua Charle}{\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 s}{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 \rquote }{ \insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 dead body. \par The above evidence of PW.1, PW.2 and PW.6 leaves no doubt that Arua Charles died on 18}{\super\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 th}{\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 April, 2008 as stated in the particulars of the offence. \par }{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 It is }{\insrsid7607657\charrsid14766419 a settled principle in our Criminal Law that every homicide is presumed unlawful unless there is evidence to show that it was caused acc identally, or under excusable circumstances.}{\insrsid10900432\charrsid14766419 See }{\b\ul\insrsid5705770\charrsid14766419 R Vs BUSAMBIZ}{\b\ul\insrsid10900432\charrsid14766419 A s/o Wesonga [1948] 15 EACA 65}{\b\ul\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 .} {\b\ul\insrsid15036876\charrsid14766419 \par }{\b\ul\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid7607657\charrsid14766419 PW.1 and PW.2 testified that the deceased left them at their station of work at 8.00 pm on the 18}{\super\insrsid7607657\charrsid14766419 th}{\insrsid7607657\charrsid14766419 day of April, 2008 when he was well. He was next seen the }{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 next day when he was dead. }{\insrsid7607657\charrsid14766419 The wounds that were found on his body were fatal injuries t}{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 hat had been inflicted on him.}{\insrsid7607657\charrsid14766419 The weapon}{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 used was found near the body. }{\insrsid7607657\charrsid14766419 This was a }{\insrsid15470521\charrsid14766419 small hoe with a sharp edge. }{\insrsid7607657\charrsid14766419 He was found, by PW.6 to have died from the severe head injuries }{\insrsid10903402\charrsid14766419 which included a broken skull. The nature of injuries and the presence of the weapon or implement used to kill the deceased when considered together, it is clear that this was an unlawful }{\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 homicide}{ \insrsid10903402\charrsid14766419 . \par \par It is not every }{\insrsid12217211\charrsid14766419 criminal }{\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 homicide that}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 amount to murder.}{\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 }{\ul\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 M}{ \ul\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 alice aforethought}{\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 must be proved by the prosecution.}{\insrsid7607657\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 Malice aforethought is a state of mind which must be established from the circumstances and the evidence as a whole that establishes how the offence was committed. }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 The court of Appeal in }{\b\ul\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 AKOL PATRICK & ANOTHER Vs UGANDA [2006] 1 HCB }{\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419 held that in determining the presence of malice aforethought the court must consider the weapon used, the manner in which the weapon was used and the part of the body injured. Similar }{\insrsid10303840\charrsid14766419 holding is found in }{ \b\ul\insrsid10303840\charrsid14766419 Uganda Vs Ochieng [1992 \endash 1993] HCB 80 }{\insrsid10303840\charrsid14766419 and }{\b\ul\insrsid10303840\charrsid14766419 Uganda Vs Okello [1992 \endash 1993] HCB 68.}{\b\ul\insrsid5453413\charrsid14766419

\par }{\insrsid10303840\charrsid14766419 \par The test }{\insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 is that once a deadly weapon }{\insrsid10900432\charrsid14766419 is }{\insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 used, excessive violence is used, and injuries are inflicted on the most vulnerable parts of a human body such as the heart, head, neck and stomach, and once it is proved that multiple injuries were inflicted, it will lead to one conclusion that the }{ \insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 assailant}{\insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 intended to cause death of the deceased. }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 \par \par }{\insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 In the instant case, the deceased suff}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 ered severe multiple injuries on}{\insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 the head.}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 }{\insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 The fractured skull must have been due to use of severe violent assault on the head to lead to the broken skull. The weapon }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 recovered}{\insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 at the scene, a hoe adds to the circumstantial evidence of use of a lethal weapon in the assault that led to the deceased\rquote s death. The assault concentrated on the head, a very sensitive part of a human being that contains the brain a vital organ. }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 \par \par }{\insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 The above evidence clearly proves to the satisfaction of this court that whoever assaulted the late Arua Charles intended to cause his death and therefore had malice aforethought. \par }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 Having found that Arua Charles died on 18}{\super\insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 th}{\insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 April 2008 and that his }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 death was caused unlawfully}{ \insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 and with malice aforethought, t}{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 his court has a duty to examine the evidence as a whole to establish whether or not the accused person is responsible for the murder.}{ \insrsid491503\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 The accused person pleaded not guilty and throughout the trial he maintained that he did not participate in or have anything to do with the murder of Arua Charles. \par }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 In his sworn evidence as DW 1, OL}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 AR JAMES (Accused).}{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 He testified that on 18}{\super\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 th}{ \insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 April 2008, he was }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 at Adupare village in Paidha. }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 He left the home at 8.30 am to Paidha to book a bus ticket to go to Kampala after which he went to Nyapea and at 5.30 pm he returned to Paidha. That he spent a night at Paidha police barracks until 5.00pm when he left for Kampala}{ \insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 by bus. }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 He returned from Kampala on 20}{\super\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 th}{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 April 2008 and on re}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 aching Nebbi he was arrested. }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 He deni}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 ed knowledge of the deceased. }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 He denied}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 participation in the murder. }{ \insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 That he spent the }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 night of 18/4/2008 at Nyapea. }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 That he spent the night of 17/4/2008 at Paidha and booked a bus tic}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 ket on 18/4/2008 at 8.30 am. \par \par }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 On cross examination he stated that he spent the night of 18/4/2008 at Paidha and left for Kampala on 19/4/2008. }{\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 He}{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 confirmed that among the prosecution witnesses he was well known to TABU (PW.1) with whom they had a pending assault case hence a grudge. \par }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 DW 2 ODAGAWUN ALFRED testif}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 ied that he knew the accused. }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 He saw him on 17/4/2008 at 9.30 pm when he went to change clothes in the house of one }{ \insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 LUPINYI.}{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 The accused was s}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 leeping and he talked to him. }{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 The following morning at 6.20 am}{ \insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 he did not find the accused.}{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 On 18/4/2008 he was on night duty up to next morning at 6.00 am. \par \par The effect of the accused person\rquote s defence is that he was not near the scene of crime between 18}{\super\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 th}{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 April, 2008 8.00 pm and the next morning when he left for Kampala at 6.30 am, he left on 19}{\super\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 th}{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 }{\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 April 2008. }{ \insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 This}{\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 is a defence of ALIBI.}{\insrsid1471881\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 The accused person has no duty to prove his ALIBI. The duty is upon the prosecution to adduce evidence that puts the accused person at the scene of crime. However, once the accused person, on his own offers evidence to support his ALIBI, that evidence must be closely and critically examined to determine }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 its credibility. }{\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 Once evidence to support the ALIBI is on record it must be examined together with the evidence in the case as a whole without shifting the burden of proof upon the accused. }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 \par \par }{\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 As stated in }{\b\ul\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 Bogere Moses and Another Vs Uganda [1976] HCB 5}{\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 ,}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 t}{\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 he principal is that in criminal cases, a part from certain limited exceptions the burden of proof throughout the trial is on the prosecution. \par }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 This was earlier stated in }{\b\ul\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 R Vs SIMS [1946] 1 KB 5}{\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 that the moment the }{\insrsid9512547\charrsid14766419 accused person pleaded not guilty to a criminal charge the burden of proof entirely falls on the prosecution to adduce evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt tha}{\insrsid16412853\charrsid14766419 t}{\insrsid9512547\charrsid14766419 the offence was comm}{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 itted by the accused person. \par \par }{\insrsid12474891\charrsid14766419 I will proceed to examine the evidence of the accused person\rquote s participation. There is no direct evidence that proves the participation. The prosecution seeks to rely purely on the circumstantial evidence based on the testimonies that the accused person is the person who was last seen with the deceased alive at 8.00 pm on the fateful night.}{\insrsid12717462\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid13058339\charrsid14766419 \par PW1 TABU Hassan }{\insrsid12474891\charrsid14766419 testified that he knew the accused person before and he saw him on 18}{\super\insrsid12474891\charrsid14766419 th}{\insrsid12474891\charrsid14766419 April 2008 while he negotiated with the decea}{ \insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 sed to take him to NYIBOLA. }{\insrsid12474891\charrsid14766419 It was at 8.00 pm but this was at GAPCO Petrol station which was lit and the re was street electric light so he was able to see the accused talk to the deceased. \par \par The deceased took the accused on his motorcycle at 8.00 pm and he never came back. He never heard of the deceased until next morning when he was found dead, PW1 further testified that at the scene of crime he sa}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 w a hoe, a shirt and a jumper.}{\insrsid12474891\charrsid14766419 He recognized the shirt and the jumper as those he knew belonged to the accused.}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 }{\insrsid12474891\charrsid14766419 The accused denied ownership of items. He alleged he had a grudge with PW1 over a case of assault in court and that PW1 was telling lies due to the grudge. \par }{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid12474891\charrsid14766419 PW2 Onencan said accused was a}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 common person in Paidha town.}{\insrsid12474891\charrsid14766419 He worked with the deceased, he had last see}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 n the deceased on 18/4/2008. H}{\insrsid12474891\charrsid14766419 e went in the t}{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 eam that to recover the body of the decea sed, he saw a hoe in form of a hummer near the dead body which was lying in a pool of blood. He saw a shirt and jumper which we}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 re blood stained at the scene.}{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 After postmortem the body was given to the family members for burial while it was dressed in the shirt and the jumper. The family members rejected the clothes that they did not belong to the deceased.}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 P}{ \insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 W2 took the clothes to the po}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 lice from the deceased\rquote s home. }{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 PW2 confirmed that on 18/4/2008 he had not seen the accused }{ \insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 anywhere}{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 .}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 }{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 He confirmed t he recovery team which included PW1 dressed the body in the very clothes found at the scene since the body was found naked. \par }{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 PW 3 Ocangiu, custom check-point attendant, testified that he knew both the deceased and the accused.}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 }{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 That on 18/4/2008 at 8.00 pm he stopped a boda} {\insrsid11358249\charrsid14766419 }{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 boda rider at the crossing point between Congo and Uganda}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 .}{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 He recognized the rider as Arua Charles (deceased) he did not recognize the passenger. }{\insrsid1835315\charrsid14766419 They}{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 crossed the boarder and after about 30 minutes he saw a motorcycle at a high speed which refused to stop and came into Uganda.}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 }{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 He did not recognize this motorcycle or its rider. The next day he called the boda boda rider\rquote s leader to tell him of a report t}{ \insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 hat a person was found dead. }{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 He confirmed that he knew both Arua Charles and the accused for over 4 years. When he stopped the motorcycle}{\insrsid1835315\charrsid14766419 he recognized Arua Charles and did not recognize the passenger.}{\insrsid3695351\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid1835315\charrsid14766419 PW4 Odongo Kizito also recognized accused from the boda boda stage on 18/4/2008 and saw the accused and deceased ride off at about 8.00pm. }{\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 He}{\insrsid1835315\charrsid14766419 testified he participated in recovering Arua\rquote s body from the scene. At the scene he saw a whitish shirt and a }{\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 reddish}{\insrsid1835315\charrsid14766419 jumper about }{\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 1}{ \insrsid1835315\charrsid14766419 }{\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 meter}{\insrsid1835315\charrsid14766419 from the body. The body was dressed up at the scene with the clothes. But the relatives removed them at the burial that they did not belong to the deceased. He said he saw the accused put them on on 18/4/2008 at 8.00pm. \par }{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid1835315\charrsid14766419 PW 5 D/Cpl John Onencan, testified on 19/4/2008 he was at the police station when a dead body was delivered by a group of boda boda ri ders, it was dressed up then. PW 6 P/C Drani Alfred the store man at the police received and kept:- \par {\listtext\pard\plain\insrsid1835315\charrsid14766419 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 1)\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-360\li720\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx720\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls2\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid15470521 { \insrsid1835315\charrsid14766419 A small hoe looking like }{\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 a hummer P.3}{\insrsid1835315\charrsid14766419 \par {\listtext\pard\plain\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 2)\tab}}{\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 A blue long sleeved shirt P.1 \par {\listtext\pard\plain\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 3)\tab}A red jumper P.2 \par {\listtext\pard\plain\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 4)\tab}Unregistered motorcycle. \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15470521 {\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 \par Circumstantial evidence is very often the best evidence, it is evidence of surrounding circumstances which must be intensively examined and before drawing inference of accused\rquote s guilt from the circumstantial evidence, court must be sure that there are no other circumstantial which would weaken or destroy the inference. The circumstances must produce moral certainty to the exclusion of every reasonable doubt. See }{ \b\ul\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 Taper Vs R. [1952] A. C 489}{\b\ul\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 .}{\b\ul\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 \par }{\b\ul\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419 To convict the accused person in this case would depend on the truthfulness of the evidence of witnesses who allegedly saw the accused go away with the deceased and in a}{\insrsid935640\charrsid14766419 ddition the circumstances must rule out a possibility that anyone else could have killed the deceased after 8.00 pm on the 18}{\super\insrsid935640\charrsid14766419 th}{\insrsid935640\charrsid14766419 day of April 2008.}{\insrsid2832406\charrsid14766419

\par }{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid935640\charrsid14766419 PW.1 and PW.4 testified that they saw the accused talk to the deceased at 8.00 pm and they left together at about that time. \par }{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid935640\charrsid14766419 PW.3 Ocangiu testified that at 8.00 pm on 18/4/2008 while at the boarder crossing point he stopped a motorcyclist whom he recognized as}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 Arua Charles, the deceased. }{ \insrsid935640\charrsid14766419 He did not recognize the passenger he carried. He testified that he knew the accused p}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 erson for four years before. }{\insrsid935640\charrsid14766419 This creates a presumption that if the accused person had been the passenger, PW.3 would have recognized him like he recognized the deceased. \par }{\insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 \par He allowed the deceased and his passenger to cross into Congo}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 . }{\insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 The deceased was found the following day dead, on the Congo}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 side of boarder. }{ \insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 There is no evidence to prove that the motorcycle he saw riding into Uganda after that meeting is the same he s}{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 aw the deceased on.}{\insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 There is no evidence that the rider who crossed into Uganda was the passenger the deceased had or was in anyway }{\insrsid10766680\charrsid14766419 connected with the deceased. }{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 The prosecution evidence talks of a r}{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 ecovered motorcycle sometime muc}{\insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 h later on the Ugand}{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 an side of the river Nyibola. }{\insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 There is no proof that it was the deceased\rquote s motorcycle or that the accused had anything to do with it. The accused was arrested on 20}{\super\insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 th}{ \insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 April 2008 as he came from Kampala}{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 .}{\insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 The motorcycle was found 5 miles away from the scene by undisclosed person and on undisclosed date. \par }{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 Apart from the questionable movement of the clothes attributed to the accused their existence and value is doubtful. PW.1 and PW.4 who recovered the body participated in dressing the deceased in the se clothes, delivered the body to police in the clothes, took the body for post-mortem in these clothes, delivered the body to the relatives for burial}{\insrsid12266724\charrsid14766419 . It is alleged the relatives rejected these clothes as not belonging to the deceased and up to this point these witnesses who knew the deceased v}{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 ery well had not noted this.}{\insrsid12266724\charrsid14766419 They claim to have known the accused very well and to have known his clothes very well and surprisingly they were prepared to burry their friend in these clothes they knew belonged to the }{\insrsid11358249\charrsid14766419 suspect! }{ \insrsid12266724\charrsid14766419 This is unbelievable.}{\insrsid5062697\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid12266724\charrsid14766419 These clothes were an attempt to link the }{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 accused to the scene of crime.}{\insrsid12266724\charrsid14766419 There is no independent or credible proof of ownership of those clothes.

\par \par I have examined the accused person}{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 \rquote }{\insrsid12266724\charrsid14766419 s defence of ALIBI together with the prosecution evidence, notwithstanding the weak nature of the accused person\rquote s ALIBI in that not all the hours of the night of 18/4/2008 are fully accounted f}{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 a}{\insrsid12266724\charrsid14766419 or, the prosecution evidence does not squarely put the accused person at the scene of crime. \par The accused person cannot be convicted on the weakness of his defence, it must be on the strength }{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 of the prosecution evidence. }{\insrsid12266724\charrsid14766419 The Assessors advised me to convict the accused person}{ \insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 . H}{\insrsid12266724\charrsid14766419 owever}{\insrsid14766419\charrsid14766419 ,}{\insrsid12266724\charrsid14766419 }{\insrsid9575013\charrsid14766419 from my appreciation of the evidence as examined above, I am }{ \insrsid4728874\charrsid14766419 unable to agree with their advice. The accused person is hereby acquitted and set free.}{\insrsid12266724\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid4728874\charrsid14766419 \par \par }{\insrsid11358249\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid4728874\charrsid14766419 \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15470521 {\b\insrsid4728874\charrsid14766419 J. W. KWESIGA \par }{\b\ul\insrsid4728874\charrsid14766419 JUDGE \par }{\b\insrsid4728874\charrsid14766419 28/10/2010 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid15470521 {\insrsid4728874\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid11358249\charrsid14766419 \par }{\insrsid4728874\charrsid14766419 \par \par }{\insrsid471927\charrsid14766419 \par }}