Uganda v Kafuko James (High Court Criminal Session Case No. 107 of 2004) [2005] UGHC 69 (17 March 2005)

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\li0\ri360\widctlpar\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin360\lin0\itap0\pararsid14231365 {\insrsid14231365 \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 \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid198711 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA \par IN THE HIGH COURT OF UGANDA AT JINJA \par HCT-03-CR-SC-107/2004 \par \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid198711 {\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 UGANDA :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::PROSECUTOR \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid198711 {\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 \par }{\b\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 VERSUS \par }{\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid4272674 {\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 KAFUKO JAMES ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ACCUSED \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid198711 {\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 \par \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid198711 {\b\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 JUDGMENT}{\b\fs24\insrsid12996972\charrsid198711 \par }{\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid198711 {\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 The accused James Kafuko was indicted for murder contrary to sections 188 and 189 of the Penal Code Act; Revised Laws of Uganda. }{\fs24\insrsid4272674\charrsid198711 The}{\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 particulars of the offence alleged that the accused on the 20}{\fs24\super\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 th}{\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 day of December, 2002 }{\fs24\insrsid4272674\charrsid198711 at Budwapa}{ \fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 Village in Iganga District murdered Kalali Samwiri. \par \par On arrangement the accused denied the offence. The prosecution was thereby called upon to prove all the essential elements of the offence of murder to the required standard which is beyond all reasonable doubt. However, the back ground facts of the case were that; \par \par The deceased and the accused had along standing land dispute. On 20-12-2002 the deceased who had migrated to Bunya in Mayuge District returned to his ancestral village to attend a funeral and also to give his relatives Christmas gifts. As he was at the home of his son Dabusoni; the accused accompanied by his children descended on him with sticks, pangas, and bricks and severely assaulted the deceased. When the deceased\rquote s son and other relatives made alarms, the accuse d and his children took off leaving the deceased unconscious. The deceased was rushed to Nsinze Health Centre where he was referred to Iganga hospital where he died the following day. The accused was arrested and charged. His children however went into hiding and have never been apprehended. \par \par The ingredients which the prosecution is obliged to prove beyond reasonable doubt are:- \par {\listtext\pard\plain\lang1033\langfe1033\langnp1033\langfenp1033\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 (1)\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-720\li1080\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar \jclisttab\tx1080\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls1\adjustright\rin0\lin1080\itap0\pararsid198711 {\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 that the deceased is dead \par {\listtext\pard\plain\lang1033\langfe1033\langnp1033\langfenp1033\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 (2)\tab}that his death was caused unlawfully \par {\listtext\pard\plain\lang1033\langfe1033\langnp1033\langfenp1033\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 (3)\tab}that the death was caused with malice aforethought and \par {\listtext\pard\plain\lang1033\langfe1033\langnp1033\langfenp1033\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 (4)\tab}that the accused }{\fs24\insrsid5051375\charrsid198711 participated directly or indirectly in causing the death of the deceased. \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid198711 {\fs24\insrsid5051375\charrsid198711 \par To prove the above ingredients the prosecution adduced the evidence of three witnesses: \par \par Dabusony Kalalyi (PW1) Mukobe Charles (PW2) and Luvisa Namukose (PW3). \par \par The accused made a sworn defence and call two witnesses in support of his defence: \par Ndahaye Richard (DW1) and Muwaya Stephen (DW2) \par In regard to the first ingredient whether Kalali Samwiri is dead, th ere is overwhelming evidence to that effect. The accused himself admitted in his defence that the deceased is dead. The three prosecution witnesses did participate in the burial of the deceased. I therefore have no difficulties in concluding that the i ngredient of death has been proved beyond any reasonable doubt. \par \par As to whether the death of the deceased was occasioned unlawfully, the law is that any death of a human being should always be presumed to be unlawful unless the cause has been established to be accidental or justifiable in the circumstances of self defence or defence of property. That the prosecution which the defunct Eastern African Court of Appeal look in the case of }{\b\i\fs24\insrsid5051375\charrsid198711 R v. Gusambizi s/o Wesonga (1948) 15 E}{\b\i\fs24\insrsid10833983\charrsid198711 AC}{\b\i\fs24\insrsid5051375\charrsid198711 A 6}{\b\i\fs24\insrsid10833983\charrsid198711 `}{\b\i\fs24\insrsid5051375\charrsid198711 5. \par }{\fs24\insrsid5051375\charrsid198711 \par The above prosecution is however re}{\fs24\insrsid10833983\charrsid198711 b}{\fs24\insrsid5051375\charrsid198711 u}{\fs24\insrsid10833983\charrsid198711 t}{\fs24\insrsid5051375\charrsid198711 table at the instance of the accused by showing that the death was either accidental or justifiable under the available circumstances. The standard of proof in that regard is very low. It is on the balance of probabilities}{ \b\i\fs24\insrsid5051375\charrsid198711 ; }{\b\i\fs24\insrsid10833983\charrsid198711 See Festo Shivabusio Musungu v. R 1955 122 EACA 454.}{\b\i\fs24\insrsid5051375\charrsid198711 \par }{\fs24\insrsid10833983\charrsid198711 \par In this case, the three prosecution cases testified that the deceased was attacked by a group of assailants whereby he sustained serious cut wounds on the head. He bled profusely and later died. The accused in his def ence also confirmed that the deceased had been assaulted seriously by some people he did not know, the presumption of homicide was not rebutted. Even from the nature of the injuries as attested to by the eye witnesses and in the absence of any other prob able case of death it is more likely then not that the deceased died a violent death: }{\b\i\fs24\insrsid10833983\charrsid198711 See Bumakali Lutwama v. Ug. Supreme Court Cr. Appeal No. 38/1989 (unreported). \par }{\fs24\insrsid10833983\charrsid198711 \par In light of the above factors. I find that the prosecution has also proved that the death of the deceased was caused unlawfully. \par \par This brings me to issue whether those who caused the death of Kalali Samwiri had the necessary malice aforethought as defined under S 191 of the Penal Code Act. \par \par Malice aforethought as a state of mind of the killer and can only be deduced from the surrounding circumstances leading to the death of the deceased. The}{\fs24\insrsid16195951\charrsid198711 y include \endash \par {\listtext\pard\plain\lang1033\langfe1033\langnp1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16195951\charrsid198711 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 (a)\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-720\li1080\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar \jclisttab\tx1080\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls2\adjustright\rin0\lin1080\itap0\pararsid198711 {\fs24\insrsid16195951\charrsid198711 the nature of the weapon used (whether lethal or not) \par {\listtext\pard\plain\lang1033\langfe1033\langnp1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16195951\charrsid198711 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 (b)\tab}the part of the body targeted (whether vulnerable or not) \par {\listtext\pard\plain\lang1033\langfe1033\langnp1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16195951\charrsid198711 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 (c)\tab}the manner in which the weapon is used (whether repeatedly) and \par {\listtext\pard\plain\lang1033\langfe1033\langnp1033\langfenp1033\insrsid16195951\charrsid198711 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 (d)\tab}the conduct of the assailant before or after the incident (whether with impunity). \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid198711 {\b\i\fs24\insrsid16195951\charrsid198711 See Okello Okidi v. Uganda. \par }{\fs24\insrsid16195951\charrsid198711 \par In the instant case the prosecution who were all eye witnesses testified tha t the deceased was cut with a hoe or the head. The deceased was also beaten using sticks and stones mostly on the head. The deceased sustained cut wounds on the head and spots of sticks on the different parts of the body. The deceased bled profusely. He could not talk as he was being rushed to hospital. He died soon later. I find the nature of the weapon (hoe) lethal and the part of the body (head and other parts) very }{\fs24\insrsid14231365\charrsid198711 vulnerable}{ \fs24\insrsid16195951\charrsid198711 . The deceased was hit several times by several assailants. It is therefore my finding that whoever participated in assaulting}{\fs24\insrsid13718208\charrsid198711 the deceased must have know that their acts would lead to the death of the deceased. So they had the necessary malice aforethought. \par \par The last ingredient is the participation of the accused in this off ence. According to the evidence of PW1, PW2 and Pw3 this offence took place during broad day light where the accused and his children descended on the deceased with a hoe, sticks and stones. The accused raised a defence that it was the deceased who firs t attacked him with a panga. This was confirmed by the clinical officer who treated him (DW1). He went on to say that the deceased was later assaulted by some other people in the village. From the evidence on record, I find that there was overwhelming e v idence that the accused participated in the event that let to the death of the deceased. This was confirmed by the evidence of PW1 PW2 and PW3. There could not have been any mistaken identity as the witnesses knew the accused who was a close relative. }{\b\i\fs24\insrsid13718208\charrsid198711 See Abdalla Nabudere v. Uganda (1979) HB}{\b\i\fs24\insrsid16195951\charrsid198711 \par }{\fs24\insrsid13718208\charrsid198711 \par But in this case the defence raised by the accused appears to be formidable and believable. He started that it was the deceased who attacked him together with is son PW1. PW1 testified that he grabbed the panga from the hands of the accused and the deceased and took of with it to the bush. From that evidence it c ould as well be true that it was the deceased who first started the fight considering that there was along standing land dispute between the two. Either side could have provoked the fight. I am forced to conclude that the accused and the children took u p the fight and }{\fs24\insrsid14231365\charrsid198711 descended}{\fs24\insrsid13718208\charrsid198711 on the deceased using excessive force. It is on that ground that I find that the }{\fs24\insrsid14231365\charrsid198711 circumstances of this case are }{\fs24\insrsid13718208\charrsid198711 not fit to convict the accused for murder. I therefore convict the accused guilty of manslaughter. \par \par }{\b\fs24\insrsid13718208\charrsid198711 Rubby Aweri Opio \par Judge \par 17/3/2005 \par }{\fs24\insrsid13718208\charrsid198711 \par 17/3/2005 \par Judgment read in open court. \par Kakooza }{\fs24\insrsid4272674\charrsid198711 - He}{\fs24\insrsid13718208\charrsid198711 is 1}{\fs24\super\insrsid13718208\charrsid198711 st}{\fs24\insrsid13718208\charrsid198711 offender. He was 48 at that time. \par He terminated life of another prematurely. \par Many cases of land dispute result }{\fs24\insrsid10246603\charrsid198711 from loss of life that should be conduced. I pray for stiff sentence.}{\fs24\insrsid13718208\charrsid198711 \par }{\fs24\insrsid10246603\charrsid198711 \par }{\fs24\ul\insrsid10246603\charrsid198711 Liiga}{\fs24\insrsid10246603\charrsid198711 : The accused gave me his age at 62 years. He has been on remand for 4 years. He is married to 3 wives with 30 children. He had 6 orphans. He is therefore a very responsible person. The circumstances of this case must be looked at either si de could have started the fight. He was being hated therefore a sentence for life would be harsh. I pray for a lenient sentence. He is an old man. Living in concuration will affect his life. \par }{\fs24\ul\insrsid4272674\charrsid198711 Sentence}{\fs24\insrsid4272674\charrsid198711 :}{\fs24\insrsid10246603\charrsid198711 this matter arise out of land dispute. It is not known who started the fight. But all the same there was cross examination by use of force. The accused is an old person. It is not of any legal consequence to convict him to long custodial sentence. But he is not a remorseful person. He has bee in custody for long. That will be taken into consideration. \par In all the circumstances the accused is sentenced to five years imprisonment (5) the }{\fs24\insrsid14231365\charrsid198711 period}{\fs24\insrsid10246603\charrsid198711 taken in c}{\fs24\insrsid14231365\charrsid198711 ustody}{ \fs24\insrsid10246603\charrsid198711 has been }{\fs24\insrsid14231365\charrsid198711 considered in the above sentence. Otherwise he would have been sentenced to ten years. Right of Appeal explained. \par \par }{\b\fs24\insrsid14231365\charrsid198711 Rubby Aweri Opio \par Judge \par 17/3/2005 }{\b\fs24\insrsid10246603\charrsid198711 \par }{\fs24\insrsid10833983\charrsid198711 \par }{\fs24\insrsid15146255\charrsid198711 \par }}