i.
Alleged violation as regards identification and testimonies
78. The Applicant submits that in Case No. 95/2003, the District Magistrate Court
did not organise an identification parade,
contrary to the requirements of the
law, in order to ensure respect for the principles of fair trial.
79. The Respondent State submits that in Case No. 95/2003, PW2 was the driver
of the rented pick-up vehicle stolen by the Applicant, and that PW3 was the turn
boy, that is, the driver’s assistant. The Respondent State submits that on 15
April 2003, the Applicant rented the pick-up vehicle from PW2 and PW3 and
that, thereafter, these two (2) witnesses were driving in the vehicle with the
Applicant from 8.30 a.m. to 10 a.m. It was around 10 a.m. that the Applicant
and other persons armed with rifles and knives attacked both witnesses, tied
them up, abandoned them on the road side and made away with the vehicle,
The witnesses thus had ample time to see, recognise and identify the Applicant
80. The Respondent State avers that the District Magistrate Court, the High Court
and the Court of Appeal confirmed that the Applicant's identification and the
criteria applied thereon, are in line with the principles of justice and that there
could be no error of identification in this case.
81. The Respondent State prays the Court to dismiss the allegation in its entirety,
as baseless.
tee
82. Having taken note of the above submissions of the parties, the Court considers
that the key issues for determination are whether the Respondent State’s
failure to conduct an identification parade and the domestic courts’ use of
PW2's and PW3’s testimonies of visual identification to convict the Applicant
are contrary to Article 7(1)(b) of the Charter, which guarantees the right to be
presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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