Elias Sakuwaha v People (Appeal No. 4 of 1987) [1989] ZMSC 129 (10 January 1989)

• i ,j r 1; I' 1! ,. JI ! :1 i •' - - • •• r '- IN THE SUPREME· COURT. Of ZAMBIA~:- ·, · · = HOLDEN AT LUSAKA ,:, ' • ., .·: :~ . ~. : •· ,; (~r1m1n~~ Jurhdle~l. O!f):-,,1 ;;·,,: i,.; -}--.. : :·~ ~--~ .'~-"~:\~-~--~-.t··.~\~>~:-) ,':>:;--i::-:.; ,,;:·, r.:-:r,1,'•;,! ;1:· Hhi~~1 :.~·- ~iiri1 ;;~::: .. ELIAS· SAKUWAHA 1,-:> ·.,•·: :r .. ,/ f.! r_Ap...,p_e_l_la_n ... t { - ;., ~ , ' Gardner, J. S. delivered the judgment of the court • .1. The appe~ l~~t _w~s ,~f-1. YJ. C,t,q•~l1 CJJJ!t~ -~~!. Hf} et .. -~h,r~~ ,509&1,JS of;' ' ·~ ·;(< t\"'t~~i:& .,ITdc·n ~11-s !e,s · t-!4 borii ti' ., ··: • .: , ··-i·-,,,.:!' · .. ,.: ·.: con~raveni,~g ,~Ja.~d~fl.9. 9!~.~r.• ~fit~J!~j>efi!"~)~Mt~ :;1h!,Jl.r,~~~~s.~u_nt. _was: for d~sobed1.enc.~ F~1;~~4JldJ.!19~A'"9ierJ~·PB .. 'L,r!rX\J~-Jec~f~RP .-~ ~Jsor. ( 1}' or ~h,~,. D~feq~e, AB} 1CJPJ~(,1~ h,0fd~Jll~ ~~~'!f\,fft,!1"!_1>Ji\:Jt~f,~}J~, · particulars ofJ~~.:c~~~-·¥e!.~: t__~_!t~,~~J~~l-A~r Fp[~~t;: ~ffi~,~• . at 14.50 hours on 27th August, 1984 h~ contravened Standing Orders serial number ts Order No. ·4 dated :13th' AprilJ,,1983 :.b)'.'admltting. a female lnto his single quarters,' :namely,., Miss.:Fl•~•s :Mapo•a• an act he knt!W or was reasonably ·expected ito ,have known ,to:;be. · an offence .. The second charge was. thatof:strlklng,a1sUperior1:d; of fleer contrary to section 38 · ( 1) { a·) •.of. the Defence Ac~,: andy the partlc:uhrs were that at Zambia Air Force, MwRbwa b4Se.: on.1 tim th~ 27th August, ;1984,· he struck 'Warrant·Offlcer:. Kaingu·whoiijBS then exercising authority ·as hls superior ,.off.icer,1 i n1Tha :·third charge was thait of· using lnsuborcUnate. language i.:to 1a ':superlor.:;-;·::; officer contrary to section 38 (1) (b) :ot·.the Defen<:e~·Act.-;·:The partlcu lars were that at Zambia·. Al r :. Forc•.t: base ,·;,~a·'• on~ the. . 27th August, ,:1984' on , be lng: told· to; stop ~f ightlng r-and dnsul ttngntr,; h l m by Warrant · Off! cer ; Ka 1 ngu ; ~ he \rep 11 ed ::· -~You-vant me :to '. shag or sleep'ifith your wlf•1or~ststers1~•·:..';.w-a~~t.. ;_,~ . '., · .• · ·The prosecution evidence of the hlstory of this case 11Ca~ · :"t:,:•"1 •,;·o~•.:1-,{ froo tad-ay to PllY .tM t!ne-,., '!l'i~ a~r;d \~ht. :: : ·;'., .. , ·-· . I that the appellant was a sergeant 1n the Zambia Air Force and· was occupying quarters in the single qucrters:,wh1ch he shared " ~ ~ .. .., ... . , . , • ,Ii . , ;, ,; .... . . ' ,. " • ' ... ~ . . t: i· - : ~<r ~ :r ·.~ :J!'~f. -.:~:~i: •• - ..... _ . ~ .................. , ..... .-,.,.4 .,_ ... -·~·· • ··- •.••• •' . - J2 - ' j • • ' • • with another fellow non-co•iHloned officer •. on th$ day fn question, he was found to have a girl in hls room which was contrary to standing orders. •tarrant 0ff1c:er Kaingu remonstrated with hin, as a result of which a quarrel eniued during the ,ours~ of which it was alleged the .appellant strucK the warrant officer and, at• the same time used the language ref~rrecf to;~)f.thEt thlrd .. co~'nt:.- 1 There wa_s conflicting evidence es. tq~~~it,~t'..t4fisp,1r~::9.urlng the alleged striki11g of the Warrant Officer. and Mr. Slvakumaran, on behalf of the State. has very properly indicated that tha State does not support the conviction on the second ~ount; .·that is of striking a superior officer. Mr .. Mutale on behalf of. ,the appellont has also properly indlc:ated that hls, client, abandons, hla appeali-.. ,q ._ against convtctlon in respect of the' flrst·•!~~.:~i~1.r~:;:C9U~~•zthat · is o°r having a girl In hl_s rQOfll aga.nsf standlng ... ordttrs and-of using insubordinate h ~uag~~ . ;.· , _ .. .:· ~, .. ~: ·:.: .. , . "l,. J!"'f\ ";> . ~"" · ••• ~._'' . ... . . • ' " ,t . , . . . • ' . f I .. We _have considered the evtdence which was · 1ed on behalf '.. of the prosecution and we agree with ~oth couns~l that there was conflict1ng and unacceptabl.e evidence in support of the 5econd · count, that is of striking a superior officer, and for that rea,on~ we allow the appeal ln respect of that count, the conviction on that count is quashed and the sentence then,for~· 11 set •slde. - . : v-· The sentence of the Court lilartlal was that ·,m the .. three •- ~ - . ~ . . . ' ' . ~ . . In his appeal against such sentence . Mr. Mutlle ,hu: counts the appellant be found guilty ~~d be dlsch1rgecl wlth lgnomtny. correctly pointed out the conviction under the se:cond count. which was of course by far th~ most serious count. has now fallen iway and therefore the reason for such a severe sentence has also fallen , aw~y. - We !!gree with hl~,i/h~~~-whilst wa do. nat. :for,.one. moment::: condone the breaching ·ot,t1ndlng orders, and certainly not • insubordination to superior offlters. we·aceapt that .tll.e sent&f\Ct as 1 t was cannot stand. The appeal against stntence ls allowed.· and the orlglnal sentence of dhbharge with lg_nom;· t_s set aside. It its place we substitute a flne of K600·00 on tach of the counts one and three concurrently• that ls a total of K&00•00 •in all. • In default •• three months simple tmprlsonaent. The appellant is given three mQAths rrora ;to<.11y to pay the fine • . ,, . ~ . . ' . .. . . ' . '·\ ' . . .· - - ' ' . ' ' ' r ' l·.; -·~. •_)\.~•< : :;" '~·:,:•?:.:., .: ·········~--~---············· . M. S. Hgulube . . DEPUTY CHlEF JUSTICE ' I ' . ~. ~-r-.-:/ ~:•;!.'. 1 '.~ ·~· ,.- ,• :~-•{;' ~••·: ~ •.) 1 J3 - , •:. ~;' t .. ;~_r;1-, ~•: ~ --,~~Ji, ~ .. -... ---- ., . .._,.._ ___ _ ...... l • ' ' •. • · . .,.,.. ••• ;l 1 S•cl r: I·{/:•'." •i•'l '•····················;·~··~~;J ..... . - ,, e. T. Gardner ._,.:_su~REME COURT JUD~;-:.'. :,/i'.:.tT ----··--,-- y I, . l ' • • ' ' • • • • • ~ · ......, :, • H • 6" ' . ,. . : .- -~- · 1 ·· : ,. i -:'. . - .,.,. ... ., '. . J· . , .:. .:-:..~ :' ,, ,_.._,' l, "' ,--' f ,·· ! ' . .;-~ t ,J; : : ··•-~( ➔ .,.-,... • !, ..... ,.,.. ' , , •. •~~ ,, .. ~ >1 , (·,·'{·: r1•:i't , . ~.; .. •. ~:~'!; -~ ! l '·' :' .l ;, ·:·:\' ;J,.?':.·: ,·-:.:-·1 :.~} .... ':- ... ,Ff(,1. :~':! ,. ' t 1--·· ......... ,·,.. . . . :. .. , ,1 ..• •··~· ·> .. ~·,i, 'J.~i"ir·d U10 Ju~-'.tl\i':ni. fJ.t th~ ~Lif't:. ..,.!.·· , 1r .,,, <-' <>, . .. 11e · .. •\ • ,. ;!.t:,'.,.~;~-: .... · 1.'• ( , ,' ,_;!, ~ ~i_ .;,_,i.-{,\• t "' ·. ~.~ ~,~ .d ~U.d bv co~t r"ilr~ial~f;,·;.rn-=t>i .·~q.~m:11.iOF ·;. ;)i f t:,l<:I!- tC.h-: ~.:,-~ .,. g.trsl ,q~;(lfl~.~-. ,·' l'Jj~ r,w. ·di~oleditnc-a to ~t r.n~!fitf. o~~r,$ co~rtr,~r,y~~ ... :~r,i·~q-1a~*~~I~~-:~·~~~~~ ( 1? t\f '!:.\c 0':lf'11nco P.ct ~p. -131- of th~ UIWS. Of. ~tfft!t'1Qd.'1tJWtJ·~ :~,• ·: ·* :.. , •,•·.: ::,j\,i.,.-·!l·M th:-, Ct!.!'J@·W-Jrf!.tl\nt -Dt lr-w.b'1tl Alr,~~~¢~~:~ Mµ~~~tfJ~~--~?'f i, ~1: r !: on 2 n·Ji: AttQust, 1984 t.i4i {$1tf.ifVtt~-~t1t. H~-v.(~~et-$ ·~-;:::Y : :i i.!n•~~r ~f!F ~ ·~ dd:!\ict·· 1!S~ ~M 1 ~ t9Ml .bv · adirliit~,a:.:".::'\:.':'· ',; : r :,'.:@ ·:1uc,rtlr-s: ,· nr,$f\ y. ,ihs ··rtod~s Mjp.,_s.,:,: . · .' · •\ . t'~;f, :;Cil~Mr ,~-:r.iwct~'\>rl t-ti have "k.ri:nm to· oo : '· ,, . •, • .. s-.r.,i c'·,zi~ -a -.·ns th.st <J{ str! kl~g a· ?;~9!:I"!,• ' ·:,·,,_·.•, .. , i;r,l:ti o11 3j· (0 !a) of ttie ~~-t1nce P.ct~· at.d: 1, , .;r , : 1 > i 1 _, ; -~ ·,· · t.r...:..i ~t Zn~abi •i Alr Force. Hu-®Wa· bis.e, -~ :· ' 1L kJ stru~); fl~rrant _'Officer'ICUnuu ,~110 !ti~ . .. - ·.: ,f,,l f,l r<)rit. J .r.s i'li!! .iur~r!oroff$t~r .. . · 1,le thlr~ .. i . :,: t,;,'. L •;)J' us111u i;lSUborai~tt/iani~oa tii"• ·~\?F!~f t..~t'··· . ./ 1-i-q, ·}e \:.:j~, < ,'; ·':'~,r ;~t:ii;j ,· ._; r J' to r.ert 1 on 38 {1-) "Ui)·~"qt:c·~ -&eff\t,C:lfM. " l"bti . _ . .,-.·-,j•1j 1 ;-rt• ,..• .. ,.<-, 1 !1··t or -~'\m~•~' Atr Fore~:na;~ ;r:a.~l ·tm· tru('.' /~.:q 0'.'l l.!(tir~'f; to_ld t1 stopf!~ti~-an1:r:'tii.eultlhfl,~i. 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