Bagaga Peter v Uganda [2004] UGSC 15 (18 May 2004)

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\uc1\deff1\stshfdbch0\stshfloch1\stshfhich0\stshfbi0\deflang1033\deflangfe1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 02020603050405020304}Times New Roman;}{\f1\fswiss\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 020b0604020202020204}Arial;} {\f35\fswiss\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 020b0604030504040204}Tahoma;}{\f273\froman\fcharset238\fprq2 Times New Roman CE;}{\f274\froman\fcharset204\fprq2 Times New Roman Cyr;}{\f276\froman\fcharset161\fprq2 Times New Roman Greek;} {\f277\froman\fcharset162\fprq2 Times New Roman Tur;}{\f278\froman\fcharset177\fprq2 Times New Roman (Hebrew);}{\f279\froman\fcharset178\fprq2 Times New Roman (Arabic);}{\f280\froman\fcharset186\fprq2 Times New Roman Baltic;} {\f281\froman\fcharset163\fprq2 Times New Roman (Vietnamese);}{\f283\fswiss\fcharset238\fprq2 Arial CE;}{\f284\fswiss\fcharset204\fprq2 Arial Cyr;}{\f286\fswiss\fcharset161\fprq2 Arial Greek;}{\f287\fswiss\fcharset162\fprq2 Arial Tur;} {\f288\fswiss\fcharset177\fprq2 Arial (Hebrew);}{\f289\fswiss\fcharset178\fprq2 Arial (Arabic);}{\f290\fswiss\fcharset186\fprq2 Arial Baltic;}{\f291\fswiss\fcharset163\fprq2 Arial (Vietnamese);}{\f623\fswiss\fcharset238\fprq2 Tahoma CE;} {\f624\fswiss\fcharset204\fprq2 Tahoma Cyr;}{\f626\fswiss\fcharset161\fprq2 Tahoma Greek;}{\f627\fswiss\fcharset162\fprq2 Tahoma Tur;}{\f628\fswiss\fcharset177\fprq2 Tahoma (Hebrew);}{\f629\fswiss\fcharset178\fprq2 Tahoma (Arabic);} {\f630\fswiss\fcharset186\fprq2 Tahoma Baltic;}{\f631\fswiss\fcharset163\fprq2 Tahoma (Vietnamese);}{\f632\fswiss\fcharset222\fprq2 Tahoma (Thai);}}{\colortbl;\red0\green0\blue0;\red0\green0\blue255;\red0\green255\blue255;\red0\green255\blue0; \red255\green0\blue255;\red255\green0\blue0;\red255\green255\blue0;\red255\green255\blue255;\red0\green0\blue128;\red0\green128\blue128;\red0\green128\blue0;\red128\green0\blue128;\red128\green0\blue0;\red128\green128\blue0;\red128\green128\blue128; \red192\green192\blue192;}{\stylesheet{\ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \snext0 Normal;}{\*\cs10 \additive \ssemihidden Default Paragraph Font;}{\* \ts11\tsrowd\trftsWidthB3\trpaddl108\trpaddr108\trpaddfl3\trpaddft3\trpaddfb3\trpaddfr3\trcbpat1\trcfpat1\tscellwidthfts0\tsvertalt\tsbrdrt\tsbrdrl\tsbrdrb\tsbrdrr\tsbrdrdgl\tsbrdrdgr\tsbrdrh\tsbrdrv \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1024\langfe1024\loch\f1\hich\af0\dbch\af0\cgrid\langnp1024\langfenp1024 \snext11 \ssemihidden Normal Table;}{\s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl-486\slmult0 \nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext15 Style1;}{\s16\qc \li0\ri0\sl-322\slmult0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext16 Style2;}{\s17\qj \li0\ri0\sl-322\slmult0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext17 Style3;}{\s18\ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext18 Style4;}{\s19\ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext19 Style5;}{ \s20\qj \li0\ri0\sl-320\slmult0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext20 Style6;}{\s21\ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext21 Style7;}{\s22\ql \fi-720\li0\ri0\sl-478\slmult0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext22 Style8;}{ \s23\qc \li0\ri0\sl-326\slmult0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext23 Style9;}{\s24\ql \fi413\li0\ri0\sl-312\slmult0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext24 Style10;}{\*\cs25 \additive \f1\fs26 \sbasedon10 Font Style12;}{\*\cs26 \additive \b\f1\fs26 \sbasedon10 Font Style13;}{\*\cs27 \additive \b\i\f1\fs26 \sbasedon10 Font Style14;}{\*\cs28 \additive \b\i\f0\fs24 \sbasedon10 Font Style15;}{\*\cs29 \additive \f35\fs22 \sbasedon10 Font Style16;}{\*\cs30 \additive \b\f35\fs22 \sbasedon10 Font Style17;}{\*\cs31 \additive \i\f1\fs26 \sbasedon10 Font Style18;}{\*\cs32 \additive \i\f1\fs22 \sbasedon10 Font Style19;}{\*\cs33 \additive \b\f0\fs24 \sbasedon10 Font Style20;}{\*\cs34 \additive \b\f0\fs24\expnd4\expndtw20 \sbasedon10 Font Style21;}}{\*\latentstyles\lsdstimax156\lsdlockeddef0}{\*\listtable {\list\listtemplateid1404185042\listsimple{\listlevel\levelnfc0\levelnfcn0\leveljc0\leveljcn0\levelfollow0\levelstartat1\levelspace0\levelindent0{\leveltext\'02\'00.;}{\levelnumbers\'01;}\b0\i0\f0\fs24\fbias0 \fi0\li0\jclisttab\tx0\lin0 }{\listname ;}\listid217060904}}{\*\listoverridetable{\listoverride\listid217060904\listoverridecount0\ls1}}{\*\rsidtbl \rsid2255312\rsid9446906\rsid11347269\rsid13334798}{\*\generator Microsoft Word 11.0.5604;}{\info{\author owner}{\operator owner} {\creatim\yr2008\mo2\dy26\hr14\min4}{\revtim\yr2008\mo2\dy26\hr14\min8}{\version3}{\edmins4}{\nofpages5}{\nofwords1127}{\nofchars6425}{\nofcharsws7537}{\vern24689}}\paperw11905\paperh16837\margl1789\margr1789\margt1483 \facingp\widowctrl\ftnbj\aenddoc\noxlattoyen\expshrtn\noultrlspc\dntblnsbdb\nospaceforul\hyphcaps0\horzdoc\dghspace120\dgvspace120\dghorigin1701\dgvorigin1984\dghshow0\dgvshow3\jcompress\viewkind1\viewscale100\nolnhtadjtbl\rsidroot2255312 \fet0{\*\ftnsep \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid9446906 \chftnsep \par }}{\*\ftnsepc \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid9446906 \chftnsepc \par }}{\*\aftnsep \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid9446906 \chftnsep \par }}{\*\aftnsepc \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid9446906 \chftnsepc \par }}\sectd \sbknone\linex0\colsx60\sectdefaultcl\sftnbj {\headerl \pard\plain \s21\qr \li-13\ri-13\widctlpar\faauto\rin-13\lin-13\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\field{\*\fldinst { \cs29\f35\fs22\expnd4\expndtw20\insrsid9446906 PAGE}}{\fldrslt {\cs29\f35\fs22\expnd4\expndtw20\lang1024\langfe1024\noproof\insrsid9446906 4}}}{\cs29\f35\fs22\expnd4\expndtw20\insrsid9446906 \par }}{\headerr \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid9446906 \par }}{\*\pnseclvl1\pnucrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl2\pnucltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl3\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl4\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxta )}} {\*\pnseclvl5\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl6\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl7\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl8 \pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl9\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}\pard\plain \s19\qc \li0\ri0\sb67\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs26\b\f0\fs28\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA}{\cs26\b\f0\fs28\insrsid11347269\charrsid11347269 \par }{\cs26\b\f0\fs28\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF UGANDA }{\cs26\b\f0\fs28\insrsid11347269\charrsid11347269 \par }{\cs26\b\f0\fs28\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 AT MENGO \par }\pard\plain \s23\qc \li552\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin552\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s23\qc \li0\ri0\sb72\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs27\b\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 CORAM: ODOKI, CJ., ODER, KAROKORA, MULENGA, KANYEIHAMBA, JJ. S. C. \par }\pard\plain \s19\qc \li0\ri0\sb72\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs26\b\f0\insrsid11347269 \par }{\cs26\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 8 OF 2002 \par }\pard \s19\qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs26\b\f0\insrsid11347269 \par }{\cs26\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 BETWEEN \par }{\cs26\b\f0\insrsid11347269 \par }{\cs26\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 BAGAGA PETER ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: APPELLANT \par }\pard \s19\qc \li0\ri0\sb5\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs26\b\f0\insrsid11347269 \par }{\cs26\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 AND \par }\pard \s19\qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs26\b\f0\insrsid11347269 \par }{\cs26\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 UGANDA ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: RESPONDENT \par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li725\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin725\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s20\qj \li0\ri0\sb29\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs31\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 [An appeal from the judgment of the learned Justices of Appeal (Kato, Mpagi-Bahigeine, Engwau, JJ. A.) delivered on 17} {\cs31\i\f0\super\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 th}{\cs31\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 January, 2002 in Criminal Appeal No. 106 of 2000]. \par }\pard\plain \s19\qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par \par }\pard \s19\qc \li0\ri0\sb168\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs26\b\f0\ul\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 REASONS FOR THE DECISION OF THE COURT \par }\pard\plain \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb192\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 On 2}{\cs25\f0\super\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 nd}{\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 January, 2004, we heard this appeal and dismissed it for lack of merit. We intimated that we would give our reasons for the dismissal on a date to be notified to the parties. We do so now. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }{\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 The facts leading to the conviction and sentence of the appellant may be summarised as follows. On 14.04.1997, at Nambogo village in Kamuli District, the parents of the deceased, one Isanga left him at home and went to attend to their garden. On their return, they did not find the boy at home. A search for him was mounted. Subsequently, the body of the boy was found buried in a shallow grave in a bush. The appellant became the prime suspect in the murder of t he child because at the time of the child disappearance, his wife saw him within the vicinity of the scene of murder, apparently having escaped from prison where he was serving a sentence of imprisonment for theft. \par }{\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb10\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 The appellant was later arrested on the strength of his wife's information and on being charged, he confessed to the murder of the child. At his trial he retracted his confession and pleaded an }{\cs31\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 alibi }{\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 to the effect that he was in prison at the time the murder was committed. His defence was rejected and he was convicted for murder contrary to Sections 183 and 184 of the Penal Code Act and sentenced to death. His appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismiss ed. Hence this appeal. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb235\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 His Memorandum of Appeal to this court contained three grounds of appeal framed as follows: \par {\pntext\pard\plain\s22 \cs31\charrsid11347269 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 1.\tab}}\pard\plain \s22\qj \li0\ri0\sb470\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx0\tx720{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls1\pnrnot0\pndec\pnb0\pni0\pnfs24\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120 {\pntxta .}}\faauto\ls1\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs31\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 That the learned Justices of Appeal erred in law and fact in upholding the findings of the learned trial judge that the appellant's charge and caution statement was voluntary. \par {\pntext\pard\plain\s22 \cs31\charrsid11347269 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 2.\tab}}\pard \s22\qj \fi-720\li720\ri0\sb480\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx0\tx720{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls1\pnrnot0\pndec\pnb0\pni0\pnfs24\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120 {\pntxta .}}\faauto\ls1\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs31\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 That the learned Justices of Appeal erred in law and fact when they failed to evaluate the evidence as a whole and as a result came to a wrong decision. }{\cs32\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par {\pntext\pard\plain\s22 \cs31\charrsid11347269 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 3.\tab}}\pard \s22\qj \fi-720\li720\ri0\sb475\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx0\tx720{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls1\pnrnot0\pndec\pnb0\pni0\pnfs24\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120 {\pntxta .}}\faauto\ls1\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs31\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 That the learned Justices of Appeal erred in fact and law in upholding the finding that the circumstantial evidence of PW}{ \cs28\b\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 4 }{\cs31\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 had destroyed the appellant's defence of alibi. \par {\pntext\pard\plain\s22 \cs31\charrsid11347269 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 1.\tab}}\pard \s22\qj \fi-720\li720\ri0\sb475\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx0\tx720{\*\pn \pnlvlbody\ilvl0\ls1\pnrnot0\pndec\pnb0\pni0\pnfs24\pnstart1\pnindent360\pnsp120 {\pntxta .}}\faauto\ls1\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs31\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \sect }\sectd \marglsxn1776\margrsxn1776\margtsxn1451\sbknone\linex0\colsx60\sectdefaultcl\sftnbj \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\sb338\sl360\slmult1 \widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard\plain \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb67\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 Mr. Edward Ddamulira Muguluma, learned counsel for the appellant argued ground 1 separately and grounds 2 & 3 together. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb230\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 On ground 1, counsel for the appellant contended that the trial judge erred in law and fact in finding that the appellant's confession had been obtained voluntarily and that in confirming that finding, the learned Justices of Appeal were equally in error. Counsel contended that the appellant had been tortured by the police, having been held and detained in custody from the 17}{ \cs25\f0\super\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 th}{\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 to the 22}{\cs25\f0\super\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 nd}{\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 , April, 1997. Under those circumstances, the two courts below erred in holding that the confession was voluntary. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb5\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 Mr. Muguluma further argued that the circumstances under which the appellant came to be charged with murder were not fully explained. The evidence on record shows that he had only been arrested for escaping from prison. Counsel contended that no eye witness testified and no police officer explained how the appellant came to be implicated in the murder of the deceased. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb230\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 On grounds 2 and 3, Mr . Muguluma contended that the two courts below failed to evaluate and reevaluate the evidence properly. Had they done so, counsel argued, they would have found that the charge and caution statement he is alleged to have made was wrongly recorded and wrong l y admitted in evidence. Mr. Muguluma submitted that no one explained why the appellant had been arrested and taken to Kamuli Police Station instead of being returned to prison from where he had escaped. According to appellant's counsel's opinion, both the trial judge and the Court of Appeal heavily relied on the prosecution's evidence. The appellant's own evidence and his defence of }{\cs31\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 alibi }{\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 were ignored by the learned trial judge and the learned Justices of Appeal. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb5\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 For the respondent, }{\cs34\b\f0\expnd4\expndtw20\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 M}{ \cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 r. Ssemalemba, Principal State Attorney, supported both the conviction and sentence. On ground }{\cs33\b\f0\expnd10\expndtw50\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 1, }{\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 learned counsel for the respondent contended, and rightly, in our opinion, that after the appellant had retracted his confession, the trial court held a trial-within-a-trial an d found that the confession was indeed voluntary. On the 2 and 3 grounds, it was the contention of counsel for the State| that all the material pieces of evidence surrounding the murder and how the appellant was implicated in it had been fully explained a nd properly assessed by both the learned trial judge and the Justices of the Court of Appeal. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb5\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 We agreed with learned Principal State Attorney for the respondent that all the three grounds of appeal lacked merit.

\par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb226\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 There was no doubt in our minds that the c onfession was voluntary. We agreed with the findings of the learned Justices of Appeal when in their judgment they held, \par }\pard\plain \s17\qj \li725\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin725\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par \par }\pard \s17\qj \li725\ri0\sb134\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin725\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs27\b\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 "According to the evidence of D. I. P. Meshak Mulobole (PW6), there is no doubt that the appellant was subjected to some beating after his arrest and before he gave his confessional statement We are, however, of the view that the beating was not connected with the confession. According to the evidence of Moses Waibale (PW 5) of the Local Defence Unit (LDU), who arrested the appellant, it was not known that the appellant was a suspect in a murder case at the time of his arrest. He was only being arrested for}{\cs27\b\i\f0\insrsid11347269 }{\cs27\b\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 h aving escaped from prison. This case must be distinguished from }{\cs27\b\i\f0\ul\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 Mateo Ochieng v. Uganda. }{\cs27\b\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 (S. C), Crim. Appeal No. 25/2000 (unreported), in that the appellant made a statement in the presence of a military Captain who had a pistol . }{\cs30\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 w}{\cs27\b\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 hich is not the case here, in our }{\cs30\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 v}{\cs27\b\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 ie}{\cs30\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 w, }{\cs27\b\i\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 the judges correctly held that the statement was voluntary, he also properly considered the law concerning a repudiated confession and rightly applied it to the facts of this case." \par }\pard\plain \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb101\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 On grounds 2 and 3, it was dear to us that apart from the appellant's confession, the case against him depended on circumstantial evidence. This c onsisted partly of the evidence of his wife that on the day of the murder, and while she was taking her goats to the bush to graze, she saw the appellant seated in the bush near where the victim's body was later found buried in a shallow grave. She furthe r testified that on seeing her, the appellant ran away. In our view, the behaviour of the appellant at the time cannot be that of an innocent escapee from prison. The wife's evidence supports the confession of the appellant which was further corroborated b y the evidence of Moses Waibale (PW 5). PW 5's evidence was that the appellant who had escaped from prison was in hiding and a search found him hiding in a house within the vicinity of the murder scene even though all that PW 5 knew at the time was that th e appellant was only wanted because he had escaped from prison. In our view, the }{\cs25\f0\insrsid11347269 appellant's confession together }{\cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 with the evidence adduced for the prosecution amply justified the conviction of the appellant. It was for these reasons that we dismissed his appeal. \par \sect }\sectd \marglsxn1843\margrsxn1699\margtsxn1067\sbknone\linex0\colsx60\sectdefaultcl\sectrsid9446906\sftnbj {\headerl \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 { \insrsid9446906 \par }}{\headerr \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid9446906 \par }}\pard\plain \ql \li1027\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin1027\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard\plain \s19\qc \li0\ri0\sb72\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs26\b\i\f0\insrsid11347269 Dated at Mengo this 18}{ \cs26\b\i\f0\super\insrsid11347269\charrsid11347269 th}{\cs26\b\i\f0\insrsid11347269 day of May 2004.}{\cs26\b\i\f0\insrsid11347269\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s19\qj \li0\ri0\sb72\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs26\b\f0\insrsid11347269 \par }\pard \s19\qc \li0\ri0\sb72\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 {\cs26\b\f0\insrsid11347269 B. J. ODOKI\line CHIEF JUSTICE \par \par A. H. O. ODER}{\cs26\b\f0\insrsid11347269\charrsid11347269 \par }{\cs26\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT \par }\pard\plain \s16\qc \li0\ri0\sb125\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs25\b\f0\insrsid11347269 \line }{\cs25\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 A. N. KAROKORA}{ \cs25\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 }{\cs25\f0\insrsid11347269 \line }{\cs26\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT \par }\pard\plain \ql \li1819\ri2443\sb331\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin2443\lin1819\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 \par }\pard\plain \s16\qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11347269 \f1\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs25\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 J. N. MULENGA }{\cs25\f0\insrsid11347269 \line }{ \cs26\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT}{\cs26\b\f0\insrsid11347269 \par \par }{\cs25\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 G. W. KANYEIHAMBA }{\cs25\b\f0\insrsid11347269\charrsid11347269 \par }{\cs26\b\f0\insrsid9446906\charrsid11347269 JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT \par }}