Fabian Kumwenda v People (Appeal No. 46/88) [1986] ZMSC 28 (21 November 1986)

---- ------·----·- - ., . . : J2 ; i " _·- ' . • ,-: , ·. . . . : . , _·,,_.;. -; '.·· i ,,,t-, .~; ·, ·:·:. · .. ·. ·. ~,:<i;; . '. _.v - . .· ~~r;h1.~--; ):_, ,\ ') l;l!;•,r,;; i,,, ; · . , TH~. PEOP~~ ,)i•~r.l,~~ f.<: -c'f 1'.rtmt1·a....... . ·;· ,,:i~·1.. At tlH~ ttm~ tr~, .. ~ 'tl<f1~·•i, ::!51/bit~niiar. ·sm>JS · SOgAM' Gar,dner, ~~-~-• Chail4.and, La~rtin~• •. A~-S~\·)'. J;,: .. i::. ,IN THE SUPREME COURT OF ZAMBIA;;,r<''; Hn ,,'.;,Apgea( No. 46/88,' • :. , : . : : . - .. ··. ·:· , _,'".'&'"·:" '':"·<<::: :··•::·:···•~•:--:'.·"_ •·~'-'~C~ .,, .. • . ·. H ' 'OLDEN AToeLUSAKA,tl,;,:l ,,:,:r 1,h\tcf1 ,i,,U!d llii\f~ lt)S:t '. KfS}f,9::i~>W thl) ' t·. :•1··~, '-~-' ~-;- :\ ', ,_ ......... ·if, ·,-,.•,' . >0,., __ r1,,,.~.1.-,. s,- . ... . fABIAN, KUMWENDA , ,;. • ,: ·., ":-··•'-"·'·.: ,,1nd_,,.-:,1 Wll$' thi!i, .i'1t tti~· 't:l~l!l'-~i/l'n t!Jm•,J :i -·' •,. .. :. , ·.:' ·: , · · . · ·Appellant ., · ··.. . ~_-_-'.',- ·~._:··· ":i ··-::·?_,. ,:·.~-:,:r.\~"\,_./., __ ._' . ' .. • _ _', ,;;i:~ p;: l 1,c{J 'fore~ Ul~tii'itiY ;ti~iiti"1!'JX£'t:;,it::tt;~f~;7,c;',· '•}'i,'i: :··: , : /, ,:.; .<.:\ >Respo'ndent · :' . .·· ·· :_ ·_ , _·.: · ,.,•\,;,•• i' l'1'1 ' ri:J to '(.1'!(111' n,q!tl 1!2"''1 ~·•~h l 'fl'<,:~ '" ~\ "9-~s'•''AV"'' .,_ ,1;;;:,a· ;,~,'-' --~llf!'""' " .. • . •· ·' st•·Hove111111r,·1 · .. '··, :'; •.,,',, . . .,,.f, "'""'"!- ,....,,, .• ,,, __ ,,-,, ... , . ,. , .. t'Ff K;s~;;;;r•r.,~,v Ittin~ ~P;rtriefs:0,~~£~illtt:rf~~~,t~J,'f~~'z'4>~,tl!:;;\: :;;t :: ,. . ~~~.1~·. 11eii1r1~-,,•sen1~~ si~t!'1'.a.ll~b~~t~ef g~tiii~~~{~£~iffiirf;t~ t~,) :· , ,·:.:,: .. : ::: :.:: :~·111 ii l r::t;; :,t;' f.,)~il' ft"lt' ·:the ··z!:~~,,~\1~;i:k1~:~,(?ii~-· __ y:~-'i'tjfri~ ::,~· ;; ::::'·;:',/: ·:: .i.l,Si}{f ! . 'tup;il ,:;_ (if-~- , :,·.-.::··· ,_.·x".• , ti'~~·~. H~~u:H. J~u~:D'i·~,~~~·ftNj:•tt\~~~,l--.:~~~t~~~-~;{.\·:·:1.~/-(-::,:.:·:· ,, ,,, 1 4.,; '-<:•--------------'---"-" _, -----;.:,.:.---.;..i ...... __ . _ . ..,......,-;.' •-·--....------ ,.· -'. ;'..; .··,. ... , , Gardner,.-. AJ. S. delivered 0the,jucfgm~nt pf.the::i:o~rt~,; ·,. ·'.;: • . . ', •.,:•· • >•"• :- :• ·. -. .. ~ ... :\•.•,,,";',',-.-, ,,,.,· ... ,::·.•\•-· ,_.: .. .- .,. i:· H:?·: \ ···.·t-'·~· r:,, ,_',,_.,,, ...... ,.,.';•~··' ,,,:":•,,_;,:_;'.~>1'-·····'..', ,"",•.•:'"1·•''-!-•'.""•\,!,·t,/:H'.'-\,'oilr,.·,•,_' • \;··i,q?i'( , . :., . ·.- ·,•.~•-..,.,_. .... ,,,.~_,.•,~~•-PA . . . , •·t : ·. . .. i).( •. , -. , ..... ' t.<i ,.. . · . . .... ,"•· ,' •., 'i'i - ,, ., . •:· ,.. •1 ' .- - . , " ' , , · ' . ·.·:_';; -c,,. ~·-~- :,,1;1tt1 .:.-10~-, , A{ft<- i;)el-flJJ':(:-tnF1 3r:P.;:-•Jf1:'. ar--:-- i· · t:•: _. • -, ;·:, , . , , . , • : , : , , . , :~ • ' . - / - ' / \ . : : , : \ : ( / . { .• //:/g,_.(.~f'-'•,'.•,_;_,~:h:•~-:~..::,••:•:~> .. \•:{?,i•, •,• ... 1 1·• 1t, -' .... · ~·· ... • . >_ <~ 1 1: 1~l~ ·1:9 · :. ,~ 1''•'.•_•,•~r~"• T • . ' . , . • : • _, , ' -. : ,, · . · - ·."':>: ' -. · The appellant::with. two1 othe\os!was: CQilv.1.c;ed•,o.~tpneJqoun,t1;;Ju1~c.', · . ,. · ·r,, , . ' . · , , ·. , .• .. ·'.. -'.", · ·_, _;:·:".._·•(: ',-" '"i_;•,,.<.' .r: ". • .. • .· ·• ·:::-._-' •. · , ' . . ' ' , t • " ' ·. ·1 •~ • '• •; . :<·.1.:t:· (:. ·.:~:~'.~:.'.\• · ... ,. , • , .. _. · ·of abuse· of authority? contraryi to',Sectioi'l?,~9(l)hofi:l~l.l'!! ,P,~nali;Code . •-end one count of· attemptell ·abuse ;_of, ·author:,lty.1 iTh.~J.-P~~iGJJlar:_sjJ. t- : . ·,'! :of' the fl rst 'charge' were lthat,,the;isp~ell ant;i~n,f t~ojioi~~ri;; ,9n: . ' :_ · · • '. ,'_"•, •,·,.: ;• ~~• '-''the' date unknown· ~~ti betweeri:,the t:10thfaQdJJ2tf(fc>,~:,\P~c!!ll!b~r,;\!t~l3,Q.,Js 111·41; tusaka'/'being(persoris,~~ployec,,i:i11zth~:-iP.u~11.cis~,~~\:c.~:l4,~:;p~liqei·. . . . . ci:officer 'and 'Chief Mechanic~l ::5upentntend~nt.;:: ,j_qJ,i:t;(y;i~n,d{Jw.h{ls1;~mii~n't >: ,'' ', ~- .. :. : ·._, Yactirtg .· 1n"abuse of authority' cof ~.their 1,off.i,~es, fpurcch~f!!4Jt~~l!~Y-n1n~ · · ,::.:,- ;,.·•·<:_·:/'.:\,_·'.'-:\::,';'.f(:;;-\; ':'•." .:-;.:>.:·._;:-·._:..,_.·,_,,:.-;>_.·-il:.:_; . .-_:'_,.:.: . ~,:. -:·: :-,~.·-.-.<·",;• ,,,:·>., .:· • ... ,' \, ' . ~. .·_.-.-_,::·,t : .. . '.·,, . ,' . . . ... ' ' · ·,' ,' • . ' ' ,,·•. ·-._:., .:-,; . • , • ' . . . ' ' -,- ,.· •. • s I, '. • • \ ' • • ' •. . . · · · · •' ' - ' ' i\:'niotor_ vehlcle-,batterles,··a11d:,fourchu~dr!!~;i~~~};~w!!~!Yif~~~;:i!11~~- .. ':: .-._: ,·. C < ' •-. - ', •' ,, ' ' ' '· .. ,, .. , . . . . . ' ' ' ' . . ' . .. Wl'fr6m Standar_dfAuto SetvicesfSt~tlQnlat~•infi°~tecif prie~:s~inste~~-,Istcd- . · ii! of; purchas ing''from''reco11111ended~sourcias:.-:;~~,it'lEitld~(zantbl~:1~i~ited: · · . 1;,f ~nil' Dim lop· zambla':Llml~eil;- ~lch;wa~i;·preJ~~-iclal,i1;~-~tb~1~rite~est · • · l;o ~{' the'1 Government., 1111: thatl:th~,1 G~ve~nmentn of~tbej:~~pu~.l'.jC()~f1'. Zamb_i~ .. ... , '.':', S_,)'lost a sum of K128,493-65 •. The: particulars of the second' charge· ,_· . . : wer~ 'that' the, appellant! .·and" two' oth'lrs\6 betw11e~i;2~t~'i aoq 1,30.t)l, of. nioecember,"'1986';"at 'LUsaka',::be1'itg:'pe11so~s.1employed :_in ithe;-p_ublJci .·. . _· ' .. : . ~ :' .''.'.: -;:/ .::·:·,< ~::; :\,;, ;,< ,.;{~·-:::·;; ? '', \." '. .. . . '' Service as aforesaid. fo' tabuse ofitheir/ off.ices<d14':i\1:~f!mp~;,to:;pu_r.chase : . • fiv~ l:!~n~rE!d t1,1bes and_ f!v.e l]undrfl~ tyr~sJr:-qm,,~!aric:f~.i::~,~~~to Servic,~ •- ---- .. : • ~ •_. ',.--'.•:,;: <•a~•;~~-. •~:~:~\'_•,~'.--.1;.t~•,~ ·.21..-e•~; ~•. ~ 0; • •_.: · . ......... , . ' : . ' ... •,, . . . . .:,-c.:.,:;·(<~<•1,;,,_ --- '· . . .. , :. ~.. ' , . •· . . . ,, . . •. . ' . . . . . . . . . ,' . . . . ·. .; . . . . . ' ' ' ' . . . . . . " '/",, '.,; ,: :,··: .. ,, .... ' . .. ,_.,:. ...,,\, · · '"r 1 .. ,.,, ~ j .... ,,:~- .r,,., at inflated prices insteo.d of _purcho.sing·from,the reconrn(lnded'source :. 'J2•; ,,:~:,.,. (t,•·· <i;~ ... '_./:,:;·,_:;~~{~\~\\.~:·'. L~/~r·,..t/,,,\',::.,.,. ,,·_, Dunlop Zo.~1a· Limited"and(whichtwould have''lost';,i~3~f9341Jo''the~~' '' '' ' Go~ernment"-" o{· thel Repti>11c'101' ~wl&~rit l~$' ~-i~~e~.tr,~i;?.ci11~ i ~ !~ :._ :- : : '' ' :·:),· I 'The' prosecution' evi den'c:e. wis8th'o.t';h a\'.lthe''::tf~~~hen ihere¢1So ~ . -': '' · · ·· .. : • ... i,\';:::,(•::,/:,:(•.-::·.i.',;_:.-i: ..... \.,',i· .~, .. ::;_,:,':: 7 .1.,:• .. •1•, · · {: ; .. ·. ,' · . wa~ an 'emergency.\ the,, poi i 'ce 'force'·. ~rigeiitl~ '~~q~1~i1½ihi put'\hef~tr:1 vehicles on the-, roo.d·~ ·, \ At/ the time'• ~herif were substa'~tia l isJmsi,b~:, ' ' of money owing to their- regular suppliers~·' . Ho'(~ver,·because 'the.re was· an emergency •,' a; large sum of'inoney'i'-ias"•Jiiade;r~~alht>1e''i)~hich1 '•Gt.'~~'.:'• '.:.--,•-::- ' t . , , · ,"' ,,~ ,,.,,' .',_ • '-. , ' • i • • • • .· . 't . ' ' •' ' ,• '.' '- ,,: • :-.•· • ,•' • .· , I ' ;. ' ,- Q cotild 0 have· been us•d tb''payiiboth':rthe''oufstahd(~-i{iii'~~e~~i. Sto"the ' ·.usual 'suppUers and aiso')to1piy'tfor the neJ,go~d~'.th~t\ier.e req~i'r~(j~ • • • ' ' ·. ', '.'·' : .:.- • .. : 1:':, :, ; ' ' Instead of.going"'to,the. usuursuppi'i~r~i}th~Cf_{r-~1:r~s~~se~';,'wri<>\llli$, ' was acquitted; and 'the\ secbrid ;ilccu!e~~ ~iici1:h~si~~IJii:ij\l~i~<l~;,,wefii!; ;::' toi the 'suppliers': refe~red ;to':'in thif ch~f~~s(;!~:~of~'b.i;h~~ti~e1 re~iltg;.r ••.>_i'_,:•_>__;1''',:;t~->---••:::•:·:-.,'..'·.•··•I,;,.•·'.•:•"''.·, ,. •• . . ; · suppliers; and did not go' through' thefnec~siarytfji'ur~ha~ing1~prc:icedure, ,, . ._,,·.;(••·•'':·,'(iq,.,·-;':>•,'.,;;';,:t";, ':- .··, \" -· • . _·, , . . . .' . . .. _.-... :.··.·: .. ,_:\·:. nor~ after they had completed the. transactlons'.',did they ask':for··· '' . . . : permission to cover the purchases which:.they.had made;,.:;As 1tresult . : . ·,: . .. : of this, according to 'the prosecution wit"esses, .a;.:great ~eal. .•., .· ... ,:.'; .. _ .. .-: . .'·::·1/ ·, . ..-,~1.•.:,,.:·:,·:;/(/·.-·:' ·:.."'::.·,.:.·.·;·.:,,._,,\~:-.,;.~- ',;.; :·.: ':·:,· ". _·· \-,(:'\,\/·:ii> :\>)/ •: ;:')_ .... ·,'.i::.·:._·_,/:;,,:/::.':,\.:;·~- --·· /-': ·. \: : . ',,.,,.' . .... ,•'• . -' .. .' ... ,' .. ' ·.•.·.:·· : .. '. ' ' ' ·. :, '• ·, • ' ' , ' . -., '• ; · . .'. I",--,,,;..,..:.,• -:.. • •. • ' - ' ,, - • l ,• ( ,,':, of sales tax which 'would not, have .. beeo .payabfe.!f the::-us~o.l supplies ' . ': . . . - '. '' ,._.; \, .. "•'. :' ,_. ' : ' ,• . • . . 1. ·, , ... ~ had· · been made, became pay ab 1 e to the Government-t'o.n!f :\somewhit .. · · ·· · · :- •· .. · \' ' ' contradictorily' the pro~ecution all~ged:ii~li(Jtir~i;st~?~~~~ier~n~ :: ' : ' had lost that money. The evidence 1'ias .. that'7itte~lir'it?appeflant-:7:; ' . . ' ,• "\ ·. •" " ': ', . ... :... .: . '":'- '· ' . . .. ·, ,, __ _, .. · ...... . :· : ' and the second appellant approached the· pre$en:t .. appellant, who ' . . • • • .t. ·t.- ~ '40 ,i, 'f:'.*'"' ti .• :l'.',4"' -,:·if Iii ::t· ,_.·•" r ¥ • · • H · ' . was in charge of the garage of the polic~ .• or:gaqJi~ifpn, and requested : .. . him ~o accompany them. to show them what!was\f~iqufr'eci.:Jn1!the way ' .-, . ,. ,' . .: ' •,· . . . ·, \ ' ' · of batteries and spares •. · In consequence 61'.:'tlU~,r;q·uesth~ di~ ', .. • ', ,.- :'· .. :: :\•, /•,",-' .. I l: ; •. ,:• ,;'·· • • . •. . ' so, but he took no part.whatsoever in the·o.ctual•purchase:of•:the ' ' I · , • ' ' . .· spares. , · 1'• .. i1~. ½~T,~tl?i _.:_, . . ·.·.. .. ., .. . ,:,1 ..,.;,;;.,_ ,1,;,.,.,.,;,,uo1;<i::c : ·". , .. ,, tr-.,_.~Ut.l~~ ··:;· .' ..... ' .·Mr. Kasonde on behalf ·of the appellant:-has put;in•a:numl>er\\ . of grounds of appeal whJch in effect are :that'·.th~~~/1.~ ~~ evid~nce , > that this' appellant wa~ himself conne~ted with:the. ~~~ed~~o.rp~r~hase~ •. :: · .. , . . . ; ·.· .... ''.. , J '~ f1 ,_. .. . . . . . , .. ,' ' ' ' • '. f I. . , · ..... "\ CCI~~I~\~1,;f 1,~f"\::,; ,;, •, . __ -_.\} ·:,_:.'"' - - - - · · - - - - - y· I I ' ' V , 0