R. v. Mwanaiba d/o Ramadhani, Crim. Sass. 139-D-68, 24/10/68, Georges C. J.

R. v. Mwanaiba d/o Ramadhani, Crim. Sass. 139-D-68, 24/10/68, Georges C. J.

Accused was charged with murder and pleaded guilty to manslaughter, which plea was accepted by the prosecution. The deceased woman came to the accused ‘s house and after a brief conversation hit her on the arm with  a stick she was carrying. Accused seized the stick and hit deceased

Once or twice with it on the buttocks, apparently causing deceased to fall. Deceased later became unconscious and died in hospital of a ruptured spleen.

            Held: Accused was convicted of manslaughter on her own plea. The court, in passing sentence, stated; “this is not a particularly bad case …. [N]o sharp cutting instrument was used, and it can be said that it was unfortunate that the spleen was ruptured, causing death in the circumstance. I will take into account that she did plead guilty, indicating a certain amount of contrition, that she has no previous conviction, that she has spent 5 months in custody, and sentence her to three months imprisonment.