Byasigaraho Wilson, Cpl. v Uganda [2004] UGSC 11 (18 February 2004)

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{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA}{\cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \par }{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF UGANDA }{\cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \par }{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 AT MENGO \par }\pard\plain \s17\ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par }\pard \s17\qc \li0\ri0\sb96\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs26\b\i\insrsid3830249 \par }{\cs26\b\i\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 CORAM: ODER, TSEKOOKO, KAROKORA, KANYEIHAMBA,}{\cs26\b\i\insrsid3830249 }{\cs26\b\i\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 KATO, JJ. S. C. \par }\pard\plain \s18\qc \li0\ri0\sb5\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \par \par }{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 15 OF 2003 \par }\pard \s18\ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \par }\pard \s18\qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \par }{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 CPL. BYASIGARAHO WILSON :::::::::::::::::::::::: APPELLANT \par }{\cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \par

}{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 AND \par }{\cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \par }{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 UGANDA ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: RESPONDENT \par }\pard\plain \s22\qj \li739\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin739\itap0\pararsid3830249 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par }\pard \s22\qj \li739\ri0\sb34\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin739\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs27\i\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 [An appeal from the decision of the Court of appeal contained in the judgment of the Just ices Okello, Mpagi-Bahigeine and Twinomujuni, JJ. A. delivered on 8th May, 2003, in Criminal Appeal No. 15 of 2003]. \par }\pard\plain \s18\qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par }\pard \s18\qc \li0\ri0\sb91\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs25\b\ul\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 JUDGMENT OF THE COURT \par }\pard\plain \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb178\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 The appellant, Byasigaraho Wilson was indicted, tried, convicted and sentenced to death by the High Court at Fort Por tal

for aggravated robbery contrary to Sections 272 and 273(2) and murder, contrary to Sections 183 and 184 of the Penal Code Act. He appealed to the Court of Appeal which dismissed his appeal. Hence this appeal. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb10\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 The appeal to this court was founded on five grounds. During the course of his submissions, Mr. Cranimer Tayebwa, counsel for the appellant, abandoned ground 1. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb221\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 Counsel proceeded to argue the rest of the grounds together. He contended that the courts belo w did not take into account the fact}{\cs24\insrsid3830249 }{\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 that the appellant had been beaten before he made the charge and caution statement which the two courts held to be a confession. He further contended that the Court of Appeal failed to consider the statement in its entirety. The fact of the participation of PW }{\cs29\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 3

}{\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 in the commission of the offences was ignored and ought to have been considered since he gave evidence as an accomplice. The courts below made errors in law and fact and this appeal ought to be allowed, conviction quashed and sentence set aside. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb235\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 Mrs. Betty Khisa, Senior Principle State Attorney, for the respondent supported both the convictions and sentence. Counsel for the state referred to the evidence relied upon by the courts below and t he way the two courts reached their decisions. In her view, their findings and decisions were correct and cannot be faulted. She prayed that the appeal be dismissed. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb230\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 Having heard both counsel and perused the record of proceedings, we are satisfied that th e appellant was properly convicted. His claim that he confessed because of beating is not true since the assault on his person was by a

crowd which was chasing him after the murder and robbery had been reported and before he made his confession to the pol ice officer, AIP Katabarwa. In our view therefore, the trial court and the Court of Appeal were correct in holding that the confession had been made voluntarily and was therefore admissible. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb230\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 In the confession, the appellant revealed the whereabouts of the murder weapon which only the user could have known. In any event, the evidence of PW }{\cs29\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 3 }{\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 and PW 4 corroborated his confession. Whether or not the evidence of PW }{ \cs29\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 3 }{\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 as an alleged accomplice should have been ignored or not, would not have, in our opinion advanced the case for the defence any further. If PW }{ \cs29\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 3 }{\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 was indeed an accomplice, his evidence was amply corroborated. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par \par }\pard \s15\qj

\li0\ri0\sb10\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 In our view, the trial court properly evaluated the evidence and the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal correctly reevaluated it and came to their own decision which was to confirm both the conviction and sentence. \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par \par }\pard \s15\qj \li0\ri0\sb5\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 We are satisfied that the appellant was properly convicted. There was ample evidence to support this conviction. We find no merit in this appeal which must fail. It is accordingly dismissed. \par }\pard \s15\ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par \par }\pard \s15\qc \li0\ri0\sb115\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid3830249 {\cs24\b\i\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 Dated at Mengo this 19}{\cs24\b\i\super\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 th}{\cs24\b\i\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 day of February, 2004. \par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li5371\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin5371\itap0\pararsid3830249 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 \par

}\pard\plain \s16\qc \li0\ri21\sb312\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\rin21\lin0\itap0\pararsid3153003 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs31\b\scaps\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 A. H. O. ODER }{\cs31\b\scaps\insrsid3830249 \line }{ \cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT}{\cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \par }{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 J. W. N. TSEKOOKO}{\cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \line }{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 JUSTICE OF THE }{\cs28\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 S}{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 UPREME COURT}{ \cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \par }{\cs24\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 A. N. K}{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 A}{\cs24\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 ROKORA}{\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 }{\cs24\insrsid3830249 \line }{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 JUSTICE OF THE }{\cs28\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 S}{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 UPREME COURT}{\cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \par }{\cs31\b\scaps\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 G. W. KANYEIHAMBA }{\cs31\b\scaps\insrsid3830249 \line }{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT}{\cs25\b\insrsid3830249 \par }{\cs24\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 C}{\cs24\b\insrsid3830249 .}{\cs24\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 M. KATO}{\cs24\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 }{\cs24\insrsid3830249 \line }{\cs25\b\insrsid3153003\charrsid3830249 JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT

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