Best Miyanda Robby Kakubo v People (Appeal NO. 90/88) [1989] ZMSC 139 (21 November 1989)

. . "1 ,.., t.·· , ' ' ' ' - ' ' , . , , , , ~ ·. ., .. ... ' ,. •·. ,· . ·- ... ', ,•1, ·, .. ,~, ·· _·· ,l. . '. ·' · " ;• ·. - . ..,,:.,.,. ,i ;, :~; ··· , i~ ·''.: ,·\ __ ., ·., < .·: '. ; < t;,, 1.>n ... .·· ·. ·,: .'. ;_ , .. I ' . ,+!·•,Hi' •• , ~....... .,, .. ,i,·;- .. • "" , ; • • • '":''"' :, . , , · ,' ' , - s.' , .. .,. ""·' . ·,., . , :.<,,-:};, , . '."''_,/•'•. 1 , • ,._';,,~:~·-:,'. ,' ••• : ,3;1 : . :. . . ;, < . , · ·;:J · · · :/1 · ···.,-' ·: · .,. '' .:. i ·· .,t)at co.1fessicn .. ,,; ' . . . ' .. ·: · . . .· , . _· IN• THE SUPREME COURT OF ZAMBIA,:;5 ,;;,yJ,, ,1 -:kt,\!. ),Appeal-~~~ 90,/88,;,n HOLDf. N AT ·~u~ ci1 (Crimlnal,Jurisdiction),. , ·; . <fl~· ··,,, ·,;·ti· : t;tc,;,, , ... ' .... \,; ii •. l"J,c:: ~·;\~Jrt/ i\;~~f~~-s·i~i~l' -:.'o. ·uti s . .'orrtnca· ~.~d- :i!~ .. which · ,10,1 ,,_{, .f,ilµ ~,:iqii'llntcu "f ·. ,Hs er l'Jnce4· .• , · .-·:·· · ,\.' '.,,~T •]· :· >. :•, . ' . ,• ./·:'./\1 ··eESr:'MIYANDA ~OBB)'<KAKUBO;bJnction~App~Hant . ·. :_.-.v -.<--:";.--. ·: , .. :··· . . - .. · _::. , . PEOF!LE,,:., , . , .. , · .. -/-,!--•vf{.f:'·.;;!.·~:-t:·1·.,,,, " -.,! ·,'\ t t~~h.::, ;, r j~rfr: -~{,~":·:(tr4•t·1 · thts : r f !ed. ,a numor.~·- rtf \-·i~--~·,;rids : :. . Respondent . ·.. ' · : ., •• _..,, •' 1,1:JU(l(J ,i;,• Cl:lll1;$~dfi:.-ti,at the idenyr:1cat1r.m c'f . ,r . . . . , · . . ,11,f'· ,:.! , 1~ ~QM!'.':. f ~~ul~e., p~~--~~ . ..-,§arggf!rt~~~i§~tee!l~,£h!H!d~r!etory ,1i/:! 'I ,.r"tWLl ly 'oc .·.,,. :•,; '· ! "'.l .,gn<l?!~~1~eK~Sa'ti!?.. : l-l<i\; iias alS<\ ~riaH,in~'cict The appellant,,appeared in >P,erson ,., ·' l ·' . ;., H, u•..(J,t;Utlg ,(!1, ;11Ald: Vf.::~J.00 and nsf,8:d t.httt we : E9rc;h~ t5t/:!~e.h i !~f.•.'c§• t~a tPU!J;i !~,2i~n~~!a}$~~~tP~~~eA!m~ : ti~. r;Jto ,. , .. : ' ·:,,t,!l ..... : ,:: /' ·:,•,l . ·j tho grouiF)s, ii:'c> ,,,,,>Jaimm~ Y.,:9 ?,i~l1~ciipott~(l oy the :f:1J1,;,Hng Gf ~·.::,:( ,:·._.·,<,;;, : . ·.' > :\···.; .- ! : . ~)~· ·• /; ;:·:_'.:• ::· '. .. ::· ::;:·;· ;i: .{\S: ffgi.flube'/D. C. J~'~SdeliveredltheJj.udgment o(✓ the~cpurt;t ·to tlV.\ r.ic'iJv.ir,jir > .: _';?i • of ti,w tciy p!stol,. co/itl;)/idiilg i:nat'iftliiir~·w.i!i ar. J,tMh•'in'thl,:,;. :·· ':' ·:.j;: . th1t cil ';,The, appel ~ a9t1!fa.~il f~nJ~ys9,q,~t;§;iiir,q~r,Q§;,~?,fhml9~f~,9rr,of,!J~~~l)c;;i1t~ •. · . '¥~~rs ifllPr,isonnientj ~i ;h,1hP-~9.; Jjbf?,l/!:tf9ni~fL1~1 r!!u 1:Rt!~O!hsr;1,~~H}~nc,e . ' \:J;~~f11~.1re.a9yr, bfaling, s:~f. Y!!~,i i9; f,'?!,W~,91,19pc~;1Pf n.!e-.iF£>PV!H!,i.9nj,~n;.,~ charge . . ,Of; aggrayaj;e9, robbery,~,i-iiT~.~:! P. Aft,!. F~.l,~f.f .~tsth~J~~tts~s""~er,r!e,~J,t~t «:1(1, 1. Zt~. Aug~,st, .1198,4,)l_t),K_a~~e; w,9H,,,t,,.~rn!~PPt!.tri~~ tpr, P,i_§,tOJ.lq,~g,,~;1:eal. · . ,a,!lloto,r, veh~cla th(;l,prop~ttY·,9J,;t!Jeb,Cp!)lpl,i!Jne9t,:-;;i~ Tp~,-,~,Y!~~,'9~ iffORI ,t~.e. prosecution, establJshed th,a~2 op_.,~~~1;day1~,i~r:,9~eili~.~n~sf.~~; c9,pplM nant tta9 j1Jst a.rrived_ at, his, ~!l!J. SE!JfRIJl, vJ,sl~t~9:,!;l!:t!W,g1r!,1'~~~1!W ,?P.!ned ,t.~~ ,gate,· drov_e ,ln. an~• . P~r,~~st;· th~z C,!IJ}' a~1 t~~.; ~9.~J9tl ,.;;~,!s,, ~!J,$,~~. PJ.on, was With, him. l<IE!nt into. th~, !Jous~)'/hJ,l~Jith,(!",~PE1P~.~J~~~k1fe.l.\l~~~d~ t,g; . ciose. and, l.ock the, gate.::. At'Jh~t pqi_n,\1Jn:::~,im_ej~J;l/1~B, ap,p[o_,a_~ne.~ :~!P!i,:1 · and pulled ou,t something whic~; lopk~~ JJl<,e_:"~;.9,~.~-~~n,q,iwqJ,f,q, \h~. ,~it.n~ss . ,:t1]04ghl;_ .to .,be_ ,!I Pi,s.t,q~ • . .r ( J:p(~,-!"ilf;'i~J)~q,;,~~rev~l\t,n~,:~~plalnflnJ \~,: n~ . :S1iOJ11~C~1 al]~' the ,co~pl,a_i[!!IJ!J ,.~at:J9r,f.)!41i-;!,bc,.l~ .. aj ;,\h_,ei1W,il_,Y 1!~,\'!,~1-,,\'l,e;;i 0,;. ho.us~~)f'• Jh i !i .. P.ers!m..;~em.a,ri~.e.~.:·,~ha.t -./1~ J>.e,;;. P..~l~Jb ,!!lo"q~r 1~._,nq;,A,11d,!;¥.4i ~El" w.~~.:i ,giye,n. K200. , T~e ,Jl!a!l went away with ttie_ ll)On~y b~t a few minutes •.later · · came back and demanded that he be given .>the -car: :keys .and threatened . · to kill 1the''complainant and 1his 'Wffe· ,s'ti'oiJld;:t'iieyirefuse11toildo')So.0PThe;e '. 1~eys'·\,1ere':surrendered 'to 'th(s:rpersori•tari~;he:l<frove' th:~: c1tritaway.ie There .. ';was 'evidence 'that ttie. dompla"iriarit <.(cfenti1ti~ci f,the11:appellant '.as:lthe "\in,,•· .. 1jierson''concerned. ,, The facts"rel led CUpor{rby) the ilearned ,t~1ar i-j udge . 1W8rE!'l'lot 'prilY: that 'the:1complainant''idsntitf~a(the' app~llanti'.;but·ralso 1tfie'l'f act! that 1ttie' appe 11 ant·rwasnfound\?J i.f e~ /'days: Sl 11.ter;;:i at•iMUIJlbWa; i;; . tfn 'possesslon''of ! the rstoien' 'vehicle·;1tth~t;f~ct rthat'rhe Gled·,the' Police Cto' ·Lusak'a'i where . he ;-showed'i'them \ t~e,toy;tpi ~to iJl\'h icn·r.he ~,had used d n ,the . : "t .... ·: •1,'·'··, .. : ·:'" ' -~ • ,' '' • . . . . . . . . . I . . . 0 ' i .. :: J~iJ2:,-Z : • • ·. . : , .: 1 : .. , ~- - •• , , •'1• • •.·... -:-e- ''.·,·I I,: ! ' , · . . . · :.:~-... . , . ~ •~· • i':;.. :' ·,1' 1'np 1't ,. :,, ... ;,. ,·:i :.·, .'•:···!(',{f:-d-:/· •, -,,\:•:,,:· '(t.i:~"'if'','f\"1i·-·'.·"' -f.:)· tn:.:, f}r.~·\. ":,J.;>,t;~{•">"i . r~b9erY. -~'1~ :~u~,rac~ {~~t·:;~~\~~dt'!J~'il't.~1rq~!aiJ,e,~iit~rn.::aQ,c( ~.l\l!ttq!l,i:1°. ~tate111ent in_, ~~ich h.e .,~lll~l'.'Ii,F!l. Qf~~s~11;(1~~ \~.ts ,qff~n,c~,:a11d,~n1,1th!r;:llh . .. he explained in de~ai.~. ,.how :~e ,ry,a~,;.:£Qi!'iJ(~~ed.fltl!!S.,Qff,e11i:,~•.· pT!Ja,t 1,0.l)fession statement was _admitj;e~)~ eyi4~QCl!t\°iit~.~u:h,{l,l)Y.,. O,bjecJJq!).."r;\d,;l.ii,C!,ltim; .. .· i~~i(~t:111:!) .. ·1 ~ht? ·•,ae ·r~<;\lir,. M·~d·.,,1l,~:;i; ·,:t;: 3}: /\uc;U$t1; , . , ,: .. On . hi~' o~.~ ... ~eha l,f:,~he, 1~P~ltM~t.6~~~ {Vit,~; ~4.m~ep,,..ot,.~SP~9,1~. ~f appea 1 •. , . fa . one. s~~h gr~~-~~- ,~t{o~Ji~~f ~~;1J,1ih,,e ),~~~t,if,i,cttl?iiri{1 h'imself by the complainant .must '.be rejected as· unsatisfactory and ·.· .a::,:ip-ij)"1'·:~.lt?::~0-c:sJ,.0il·to tk,·,;1:~1(/,,b·~,Jr-l-y' . virtually as amounting tci 'dock ·Jdentiffoation. ·. He· has. also challenged . r. :·: •_•, · ,1··;:-•-::·,•.:,1(1 -•>frth .f\~fAJ. H1 ,f . :h:i tt,P . qur.::·•:t ~ ,·::) .-~,r- -,aq•,'.;1 · the fairness sutrounding.the holding'of the parade and ;asked that we ,~~:ii. I:. discount the evidence that the· complainant identified him. We note ... · :that, if the~e was. in fi!Ct any id~nt1q~ati~n ~~obiem ~s· alieg,id 1~ .. ·· · .. 0 · .. •, ' the grounds. the complainant was i'uiiy 'support~d by the finding of .. ' ' (' : ·. toe appellant ,in possession of the stol.en: car •. · The appellant -has.:als<f,~: .. :;,· . . c~mplained against the· evidence .t~at.'~~ ;}';~·th~··police to· th~ ·rec~v~~:?~~;t~f '. . . -,. ,..~.- , .. of the toy pistol, contending· that if there was any truth·in this, .. , ' .. -•· ~,. f,, ·~'"I' ~f;:.·N~TFi_.itll:E,'... the witness. PW4 should h~1~;r~·~?~~~fil?v.\~~ir~en~ent .• pe!'. SOn. to corr~~orate. him. We wish to point out.-only-that,.where"a"truthfUl and .honest • . ordinary witness is giving evHJence. •of: thii. nature,· there: is no requirement that an independent wltness:must come'to .corroborate-him. The necessity to corroborata· ,~; 'w! tne~i~,pn1i·~·Ffies• \f, for a· r$ason · •· .. which has been established, doubts arise as.to·the veracity·ofhis'.: ·1n' 1··r t 1·J.~1-- s·w>t1:'f\~!€ • c~iuRt !'F'fiH0t! : · '.-. evidence.·. The appellanf:has·made·'Jengthy·written submissions·but iii'> ,.,,.,. ""'~r .. •·~~_;..,c••1f'••",._ f,_iiyf(i,tti{,:: : ·. • ... -·· .· . •.1--snU_(~~-\_,_ ' •, ·.-. . . :- . . . . . '-t , 1 :. '' ~ . . '•' , . , , , .· . . . · . · . ... - . '. . . l_q . '. . . · · . . . . · •· · · : '. · · · . . - ' ' : ., . · .- . ' ' . . . . . . . ' ,, ' '• '. ' ' _: ' ' . . . . c.: . . •··· . Jt. . . . •.. . . i:f/1\ltA · · the face of the good ideoti:ficati~ri• by th~:complainant Which wa~ .: • .· corroborated by the finding 'of th~ :c~r. in the appellant Is possession·, ·and in the face of' a'coinple'te"confe$Sloh~staiemenf'wliich he made ,to •. . . the Police and against WhifnrJ~;,tei:~.~1~?11. BRlec:~.ion. in the court belo~ · and none .here, there is, ir'r·:tr.uth,''>no··0 basis"whatsoev.er upon which we , can possibly inte~fere with .the app~fia~ti s,·con~i~ti~~; , There is ·no . .merit i~ any of :the grounds. of appeal •d~~~ctecf/agairist the, convict!'?"• .·.:· ,, .. : , ;, , . . . · qu_ est ion of senten. ce. • The appeal against the conviction; ls ·dfsmissed;Jand .we now turn to Jlie . -· · :. .. ·•:,:-• · . . :·• ' ..:·. .., " ' ' ,_ .-. ,, ; , ,!~ ~ _ -~,.f:{!;•i1'~;~~1;.,1fi :t:~~~:,, {1;¥":1.1. ; ~ ,,;r 1 ·NormallY:, an appeal: woµld, not'Jle,'.ag!lins:t'tt)e mandatory sen:tence. \ but the .appellant did raise th~ contentirin;th~t he wa; ,a Juvenile at ·• : · ' ,·-··:,.- . . ,• the ·t.ime of. the commissJon of the of.f~~c·~•:::JoVowing upon such clc1im, · ~e ordered that a medicai' report. be:'obtaln~d;~~ the appella~t•; age •. · ·. An. examination was conducted b/ a::m~dlc~l. officer, at .tt)eUni ~ersity . T~aching Hospital on 8th November~. 19!3~ and he h~s ~iv~n the opinion th~t the _age of the _appelhnt may; have···bee~ ~ineteen. to t~e~ty_ y~ars · . . old. A doubt.· has . arisen· whether, .b~~~use :pf(tJie·:.worcji~g of the c:ourt .. ; .. ·· ' '-l '' •.• ' . ' .. ,,. .-' . . ._. I , ' : : ~-:•, '' ,,' ~ ) .--~· ·- • • • . . . • • • •. . . . . ' , ' ' • •• , · ' ' • • • • • • : ' ' •.• -, • , .: . ·, ·' .. " , .. ,: " ... ,•, ,, · ... _-· .. ·/J~.:.~ ... '-.' . .•.· ·< . .· . . ' . ' . < ·. ,,:;,, .. , . '•·., '· .' • • ·, Q. . . . \,'f_ :':;,};:.- . ;. ·;,, . +'1-:.' >.o.·::·• .. 0