Albert Muleya v People (Appeal No. 18/89) [1988] ZMSC 87 (17 October 1988)

IN';THE''SUPREME'"COURT:·oFnZAMBIAn,; ti10ir· di!l.di:>3!\ tAppea!CNo.1:18189. HOLDEN AT LUSAKA i~i)j '[,;,,,, (i)(,;, lkVh1s1 !,i,k] th;; f{H\:l[JO!ng, 1qr:, allow .••.•. · (Criminal iJUrisdiction) id0 t,i,;, c,~i,1n.~ti,~n 4,({.;,;,mdet·~ .. · The ·CllPit~i · ·. ;-;,.;i:11 ! i' ·or;·,·• . •' · :<: , •~,11: n,,_idi.:. A(BERl'$~tEvA ~k:'<!i~~-;.-tttut~ a Apl)Eii1antn · .. ·' . ~ ·•t ··'1··• .,,;..;,,-:, .. ,,1,·,:•,·v•••a:,..•r•f:'f• ,,.:;u h,i •·o-"'b•• ,,f,fl."Ct : ·.: •,· ;,,,.:,\ lint uril11;,r;;d:iTHE~,;PEOP~~;~l:~·,1~th·c,r Ms ct,,;Respo~dent· ·.' '> 1< ~~- . ,.:: -1,:!•i•.,,., .,, .. , . . . •, .· . '"'.r~•·-e;,'",~-:,~<--.''-',•J . f.,,,,..,..""" ~-...~, .,~_;.,~~-,~11,:l.•,:;,~v Uii,, .; ,.,,,,_!i. t·• i ,_, " •· •>·~ ,;, ', ,· 11.. \ . . . . ' CORAM:.· Ngulube~, D;c~-iJ~~-:'Gardn~r;;'-'~;J$S·~wa,id,Chi(la,tJ;s. J ;1,:nter.c,t · \,, '; · t,:',X'i .. : U /. !:,, <117th:a~o!)er~ie1~~9,tl.:'jl,!$tic;~, ~f t;,w C~Se♦- For' the· appellant; l Mr," C. lp;isakal'a} Directordof. J.:e'gal ~Aid;;m For 'the 'State; Mr~ ,. F. ' ~ :·''Mwi fnga ;<r1O irectdriof'Publi C 'Prosecutions. . . ·. . .. , ·\:;,:.::;\/::::·,:!/'-':!, .. · .. '. . ·. . •I· ' ' • ' . ~ , / . .. , • • • . : . . , . ' - • ' · . : · .. i-~"·-•J't ~;-~·1it .. '.-NnJ11:J,~-:~i Ngulube, D. C.iJ. deliver.ed-the judgment·-.of~t'1e-court~/ .: . · . .... ..:.- The appellant wa~ sentenc'ed. to death following upon his .. • ,tj--:•1'.!';rry t:lFf:f ,Jlt~rYtf:: '•, .. ·, conviction on a charge of murder.·"•-The 'particulars alleged that Oil 8th September, 1987, ai; ~usaka,•·fle ~~r;cfored U~tesia_ Muleya· •.. The · · .. · .. deceased was the- appellant•s ten.ye~r old g;ade thr~e daughter; On .• the date in question~· shillns(1ltecf"liei'°~te1'/mbther::·whereopon th~ · · ... : .. .-: .. ,.·:.··· . . ·· __ '. ' appellant fetched a multeffY,}'iJ~;:ff~ ~8:{~~~~!iJ8f ctrn~. • In ~he' :· .. ' • • ' , ·. 'f '111). RH'''eh , . · . · .. · · · .,1 · ' · . . night the child ran.away and the·appellant·0 went-out-to look for·her. · . · · '(''·i'i~H-',·· · .. · . . . M. He found her and when he cai led tO:her. ·:she -~an away.: This iof~fiat~d the appellant who chased the ~hi ld; ca~ght,h.er)~~d beat her up~ i .. / . . Unfortunately, he. overdid 'f-(arid-'.tne 'ctiffd;di'.ed:".'Jtie appellant's:: .. '·• .. · ··· ·:'r explanati.on was that' when .he caught the 1chlld in the night he ;,,: · ·, ... ,,. . ,· '. ~-.1p·~::r-)1ir11.::·cn:]Jfr:·,~r·:,tftf,,.tr· slapped her only once. and she·•feH'"Ow .a,•stone wnich led to her daatn. The learned trial 'commissioner' considered' this evidence but ,rejected . it because of the ·medic~! e~:1~enc;e whi,ch: sho;ad·tti~:t. the child ;~a.d been \'!hipped and b~atar:i omry ·severely. ·. IN .a ·mother-ly judgment, the-~. :-,--.. ' . ,; learned. trial commissioner· ,thought that the assault was too severe _in· · this case and that the ,appeilan1; mList·ha.ve, intenped 1;0 cause the i:;hild .··. . · ·:. ; · . : . ',. '., . ' ,,• . : . . . . ' · .. , . J . ., :: .;. : · grie~!OUS harm. ·.': ,,, ',;'.•. ' ' ' ; ·>:,·J::';)t'i;(f::~l;i{/(,( On behalf of the appellant; Mr.'.·'SaKalcl'.l!rgued to the effe~~ that' ' ''' this was no more than chastisement; . Th~ iearn~d Director of Public · Prosecu1;ions quite fairly ·crinc~e~~d:,,th~i:~~~~iaughter .would tie ~ .·· fairer .verd'ict in this case. : We ag~ee\11a't\11e f~cts of this case . · showed q~ite clearly that the app~ll~nt.~a:;\~ylng to i:orr~c:t the · .• i:;hild. Unfortunately' It . is also 'a ·1:~'ct that the' injuries sustained . show that the appellant overdid )t. Of course, parents. who use ., . ' . . ' ' ·., /il~:~··· :.. ' ' ' .·. ·1 ·., • • ' , . .- ., ', ·.' '·',·.•' . . . : '··.: ·.· _unnecessar.y:forcErJ~LS~~ft!~!. P9 the_ir .. children CilQ.iEl.~Qec:t;.tcu.1?~9 · punished if,,the chi'l_dr.en die •. . Having said the fOr.egoing, we allow ·. · this appeaLand se.t ;.as;ide the co.nviction for murder. The capital penalty is also ii.et aside.· ,In:i;t~;place. we substitute a conviction ,~..!.·,.:-•. '.:.:'"..:~ ., ,. ~-- •. ·.. for manslaughter, the. particulars:;of whi'ch .. wlll -be to the effect tti~t the. ~ppel I.ant Unlawf~i lyi,¢!11. IS~c,l)ijl;J:le ·deati1 ·of· his ·d~ug~;ier,;,,d1ant -. In ial.l the .circ;;um!itaoqe,s·rqt\ltiJ (~l=A~~f .:w~Jions.i1ten:tl).~t.a $E!~ten~~ - of three y!:)ars wi.11 b~ ;ac!~Qu.at. El;:~ti:i~m.~~tsth.~ jµsticf of the ·case; • · . . . . . . . . .: . . . . . ·. ·. ' .. . . . •. . · The •appellant ,w.i) 1 ·• ser,ve'. ;thr;el?,Y~a.~i f,l;l. L.~,;'(liJIJ. ec{f,ec;;t,Jt.om .· .. r9th • Septembef, Vil ~87 i ·~he;-.c!a. Y.,.~h~~-th~·;.wai,t~~en u!Q\Q· ·c1,15'\;qdy ~:i(;m;. .~~-.-~--:._. •---~ .... -~-~~-~:;~ .• :: :~~/j~~,~~~f:;£':,i;,;;~~i~~;.:,_, .~::·_ :.• .• ; ~; •. : ·; · · . . ' • ./),i,::;:,:·:,•,·::t"::~;7·:;~~!;t.;. ;.~ .; . ,' ........ .',,' , • '. • ·< .. ~:~ ' . ' '. ·.· ~~~~.--.. )i~1 ... :...._;,;~.:~:·:: .. ::'./ :>~').';: ' ' .. •·' ·•• .. _',-, '.'", 'M.''-1',~~:r-,~•·,·:·• ,-:u, ·. · • M. M. S. ,;.w. •, NGULUBE · , .. ~:-; . ~ti,;.._'t~~~f..•->-;,· , '. ::;:;:t(~.~~ 1~rHtl!-t::~·:{'.,,:(l~#l:€1.'N1··fQ. J·10H!'nr) vbd'J·) ht. S ;:.··: ,;·· . . • . ,, ... : . ·· ·i,' . DEPUTY CHIEF . JUSTICE.··., .· . . .. ·: ..... , . · ..... • '~ " ' ' • · 0 l'P•~<(l ··1·•••·•· Ol' fa·!.,.,!_'.,;,..,, ·.,H~-... ~;. ·'·· . i./\·;-· 1 · z ;~- l.: .. }.ti~\k--i.; •~-i~r~~_.::\~i.:i/!,~~~r;}f i:;~ .iti [!i,,.:i:iu ie~:/<'1 ~. · . ·tll~::: ·.:: ,,., ·;, 1;-1i..i;·,A1{~J:-:,._, ... ri,:,,•,;,••~-•-~"·".~~;:1~1.,1. J,,.) . ; ::,::: ~ · ,,_• :-::. ·, ;;~·." .1~:~t~'j~ .':}: .. ;~}:•~ .~¥:i}i·~ii~: ~~;·:r:,t: du~1y:'it,,l'•;· . 'on ' ; · . ;, \•;..:.~1H r:r~\;j·· -~~ ,_;·,'i"- ·!~'t;r.~p., Ii.ltlt.n1:r ;. ·~r¾Qt·~~11b(m tt}e. .·· a· r . GARDNER·, •,., .. · ...... . : . . · ... . i'i;~,] U •/t·/,,. · . tri,} o ~)t~Uf-Wh,JJ\0~·;~,. thfi .tn-.! 'I--a~· ' .. '1n thiJ · · ' . ·.· • ·. . . ACTING SUPREME COURT'JUDGE· . · . .. · • · .· , · , ,~i ',·:.i,::··.1: - - ' ' ' ' , • . . '.' .• ' ' ' _, • ' ·- ,. ,· ': ', '. • • .- ,,_ < • ,',. ,, .• • ) ' ,,, ,,., . . ,., '·. ,, ' . • . . I , i~, \. · . .,,,. •· ,; . f':(:1 1· . . . . ~ (.•·,•_:,'i·,','.':•-• _._;.•,·,, · · . SUPREM£·'COURT 1"J(JDGE"' , .. .·'.:n.:1~f11;~1-.-·t;'~1~~ ~-·~·.··~t1P1s.:,•A";·U~ . .li.~, .. »;,.:.:•,i-~'.··,,)qt··to J,Jo-;_,: fqr Htt..t:-.r·-· ·:.,,::·. , .. ;1?.11 be c,11liid {~ ·110,::,;l1e··,r1a'/;<~w~y.: Tl1is. fofut)ta~~.<l. i ;,r, ::cc: ; c .. ,, •. ' ' Ui'•' . ,.;;,; \'.1. l. :.,( .•. ,;., ,:)liiscd t.h1,:·~11:1ti~ \~{lhQ~i/!i~r' :11i.1i.i::o~at :ljei~ · IJPf : > <::;" ., . ........................ _.:~··1~·•·-•·•~-•--,•·--· ''' ..... • ... : · .... ·,:_, ,, ·:'•i.'-t,-. ;;·~ •~a;,!· n~itn.tra·i·t; i. H'?{.;·1i.~ir·tnH·· ·u:.-U-~e-u,";·:·'.l'ne ap·pe~'l,lnt 1.s.- 1 ,,.> · M ·S CHAILA ·· · · · · .unf;,Y:1. 0,:p J;;;1.,, t.i.1.i,, v,,is tN•,t· -~%:in···•·.'!1e·•t@ii:,iw ~;,'.~.-:'f!1~.·•,: ·.-~ · · .;. · · · · ···• '· · ... · .·.i:'.l!Wll'··;criil<l ·:ln .. tne. night· iii'.!·.•·'-;. •·.;'::, ·.,:::_: .. _:.·:· · · · · •'' ".,, .... , .. ·· " · · · ·· ;,Jnl,}' ·{,r"3/.;;(f, dlld . .:.'1-i.dJ ,·w.ti·.vn"'l.-r""-~\;n;c.·:wili~h··ie,l'tO. 'h~i~ d.~a'th·~.::(.,:~:.:, ];;;;, i·.):il')'i::i!. trial· CiJi:,mi'J; iO;i•O,:. coi,s!'4,ir-'.:1u'jr.n,; ~v(d~llCi.1 bu.t-i'r.ileliter.i: <?' , .. i i :..'" .:.;:,s(s .. (i' uw m2d icic1I ;wfctei,·.::,:i .111i'\!.~h. si'icw¢ff,tf1~·t. :tlJ~ CM l <l :-n~d·:,/: :) · ,,(1u1 ,,;i,pp;;r.,. 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' _:•/(;: t\l ~ ,10.s nc1 ,~;;,·0 ·,,N,11, clla~tl~~~~~?i '!~,,;t,~tilf.d ofr~c.tpr of /ubf~c:) ·: . . . · ['ro,,;,0 cui.;1 Ort$' ,1i.: if.,,:• f'.,i rl;Y''.'CC>f;C:~,1~(.\;:t;ha'll,·ma~$l'iitighter ·would tie .· a '.· ... ·. •. fairtr v~;•,nct in tMs casa •. ·w¢ :ai1~e•:tiii . .'.1;./t~ facts :pf tti1s·(!ase·.·.: ·, . si10,•e(! qu J t,i _cl e1ar ly that-the .apr~l·l}lif,t ivl.~~ .fr'syin9 i;t.,. '(;Orr4ct th~ .. ' c111lt1. u,,rort:mc1t«lY, it. is .iL:-1'?:i!l•facf.:t!int. tlie ·1nJtide,-.st1staiii'etl_, sho:·i U1:~1t · th·2 r)pi)el I 1:in·~<ove·r;:ti~---~ t·.~: ·. Of Cr.-ttrSta, pnre·ntS ti10 ustJ .-·, · • ',_-·•:•.:>>•\',,,.'_/('•,:.•, ·.:, •••,,._•,_•··~,< .. ,.-,.·.•;.:,;:.,_ i·'··._~_, -.:·•,;i ;r ·,.·-~.:\~~.~:~\ •• _::.::, .. - · ·_. ' '' •· .,_ . :·:, ~ .·, .. •_ :,, .. _: ., • • · : ' • •• , . ·•,:·•:' •', , •·.-· ' · - \ ,,-.~,.~ ,· ., ;-• .. ."· ·_ •• ' , -~ \_,_.: ,, :• ~-: ',; ' > ·' ' ( ' ·•; - . , · · , .. 1' . ·,, · , ' ' ·', •• () : • ' : , , • • • • ; . 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