R v Muleso and Another (Confirmation Case 653 of 2020) [2021] MWHC 382 (18 May 2021)

JUDICIARY IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAWI PRINCIPAL REGISTRY CONFIRMATION CASE No. 653 OF 2020 (Being Criminal Case Number 132 of 2020 before the FGM sitting at Chiradzutu) BETWEEN: THE REPUBLIC AND PATRICK MULESO AINGA NKONGA CORAM: THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE J. CHIRWA Mr Msume, Senior State Advocate for the State. Mrs. Penama, Senior Legal Aid Advocate for the Accused. R. Chanonga, Official Court Interpreter. Ms. Mthunzi, Court Reporter. ¢ SSO] AJUO dU} PUL PAlBAODSI SEM UOJOIS SBAA YOTMA 9ZIBLU JO Seq oy) Jey) (1) ‘s1OJOR] Bunwespiws SuIMOT[OJ ot} 0} WINO|D sty} JO uUOTUAHNe oy} UMBAP OST Sey soUIazaq] BY L ‘POUAIWOS 3g Shy} p[Noys pue aso sip} JO ssouRysuMo.#o ay] UL ayenbope sem INoge| pAvy YM JWOLUOSLICUT STJUOU O¢ JO soUIazUAS OY) “OOTATJO SNOLIOS B S| SOUDJOIA UM Aloqqos ySnoyyye yey) soudpoq] st} JO UOISsTUIQNs ay] ‘puBY] JatyO Sy] UO “ST IY ‘sonmntul sholias Aue Jayyns jou pip Jueuie;duros ayy jeu} (AD) puv sjeory} SUISNRO JO} pasn ajo suodeam ou eI] (1) pue suapuazjo yup pue Sunod Ajoareypal av Ulosol{ SJOTAUOT dy} wu} (11) “paroaooal sem UD[O}S Teaq peY YOTYM ezleu Jo Seq ay} Jey (7) ‘s10jORJ BURBS YILU BUIMOTJOJ OY} OF WNOD sty] JO VOTUAB oY) UMBIP OSTB sey VIS OY], Ayaro0s UT JUBCUEBL O18 ANQLU SITY] JO S9dUaIJO ou] Jey (111) pue syeuitupio Jo Sued e Aq payUILTOS SEM GoUATTO at} Wey} (11) ‘Aroqqol oy] SuLnp syvary] a1oM o10q] ‘Uodeam AUB YIM pole JOU 91am Ulosal] S}OJAUOL) dU] VY) SMOYS pAlodd. $.}1N09 JAMO] oY} YSNOY YI (1) ‘aseo oY] aIBABITSB S.10JOR{ BULMOT]OJ at} 9IVIS OY] JO UOTSsTLUgNs Joy ayy si yf “THogey pavy YIM yUDUUOS LIGUUI SYHIOW PY O} POOURYUS aq pyNoys pue apis JOMO] a} UO psspuUr ST AhOQe] peYy YIM JUOLUIGOSHGUTE SYJUOUL 9¢ JO BoUATUAS dt} 1Y] BRIS SU} FO UOIssTUIqNs ot} SI I -O}oA0Y SOL at} JO SuOTISOd OY, OE ‘SUUd} pIVS aU} ULBJOI O] JOPJO UT DOUIOTOTA [BNOR OSN 0} paUoPwo. Y] Ula. JoYy SPOTAUOD otf} ‘SUTO} pies ay} SuryR} Jaye Jo a1ojag AjayerpourUUT pue (O'OOO'TA PUL OZIeLE Jo Seq aUO fo BIOWIOS 191897 AL Poqqo. N[NZpe.aryD Jo yLUsIp oy} ul oseypLA Avenues Ww OZOZ qidy JO WOE Op Jo 1yBiu oy) Sup ulstoy spoPAuOD oy} JY) ae asvo oy} JO Soy OU, “Spey OF “pasouByUs oq 0} papsou jay adpny ZUIUIGUOD Of} YOTYM VOUDPUAS BY] SULOULYUD JOpIsUOs OF UAOP Jes SBM OSvO OUT, “INOGR] PawY YIM JUSUUOSLICUUT ,SYTOU OE O] PeoUD]Uss aM pub JBL] JN} B Jaye payorauoo yjog aiam Ay] “apo [eued ot} JO [OE UOHOES 0} Arenuod K19Qqos JO souasjo Ot} YM N]AZpeAryD ye BuUNIIs WNOD $,a]B.ysiseYA] OPP ISI] OY] Ul podVyo o10M “UTAIOY SOIAUOZ oY] VSUOI_] VSULY PUB OsapNA] POLL —Tpunorsypoug (0°y DNGAD GAL to the complainant was K 1,500.00, (ii) the Convicts herein are first offenders, (111) that no weapon was used in the commission of the offence and (iv) that Convicts are young people. 4.0 Issue for Determination:- The issue for determination by this Court is: whether the sentences of 36 months’ imprisonment with hard labour imposed on the Convicts herein by the lower court should be enhanced as recommended by the confirming Judge. 5.0 Determination:- The question of sentencing is a matter within the discretion of the Court. It is however, trite that in the exercise of its discretion the Court ought to exercise the same judiciously and not capriciously. It is also a settled principle of law that when considering an appropriate sentence to be imposed on a convict a Court of law should ensure that the same befits the crime as well as the convict whilst at the same time being fair to the society and be blended with some measure of mercy see, —The Republic y. Shautti, Confirmation Case number 175 of 1975 (unreported). It also trite that the maximum sentences permitted by the legislature should be reserved for the worst instance of the offence and that it is a very grievous example of the crime which calls for the imposition of such a sentence on a person of previous good character: see; Namate v Republic [1975- 1977] M. L. R. 132 at p. 135. This Court concurs with both the parties hereto that the offence of robbery with violence is a very serious offence as evidenced by the maximum sentence of death or imprisonment for life, vide: Section 301(2) of the Penal Code. From the cases of this nature perused by this Court it would seem that the sentencing trend for the offences of this nature is between 5 years to 10 years. This Court has given particular attention to the cases of Republic v Kasondo, Confirmation Case Number 447 of 2007 (unreported) cited by the State, where a sentence of 7 years was confirmed for the offence of robbery committed by a group of people and actual violence was used and R._v Twaibu Issa, HC/PR Confirmation Case Number 1056 of 2009 (unreported) cited by the Defence, where the convict and a friend hacked the complainant with a phanga knife and after struggling with the complainant stole a phone from him. A sentence of 9 years imposed by the lower court after it had considered mitigating factors that the convict was a first offender andyoung and the aggravating factors that actual injury had been inflicted on the complainant by the convict, a weapon was used in the commission of the offence and that more than one person was involved in the commission of the offence. The sentence of 9 years was on confirmation reduced to 7 years. “1 Z07 ‘ke Jo Kep yrusoyysig sup powcl ‘paioplo os Si jy 7 ANOgE] prey YA JuowOsL du savak 9 JO SuUOW! 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