The appellant was employed as a Sales and Marketing Assistant at Stenhop Investments in Workington area, Harare. She was charged with theft of $28,000 belonging to her employer during the period from 6 October 2012 to May 2013. The State alleged she stole the money in the course of her employment. Two witnesses testified for the State, and a video clip was produced as evidence. The appellant was convicted by the trial magistrate and sentenced to 36 months imprisonment (12 months suspended for 5 years on condition of good behaviour, 12 months suspended on condition of restitution of $17,000, and 12 months suspended on condition of performing 420 hours of community service).
The appeal was upheld. The conviction of the appellant was quashed and the sentence set aside. The appellant was found not guilty and acquitted of the charge.
A conviction cannot stand where the State fails to adduce evidence that proves the guilt of an accused person beyond reasonable doubt. Where witnesses are contradictory and thoroughly incredible, and no witness is able to link the accused to the alleged offence, the conviction is unsafe and must be quashed. The prosecution bears the burden of establishing guilt, and a conviction based on insufficient evidence violates fundamental principles of criminal justice.
The court expressed difficulty in appreciating the reasons that persuaded the trial magistrate to conclude that the State's case was established when it manifestly was not. The court also noted, somewhat unusually, that the appellant proved her innocence on a balance of probabilities - though strictly speaking, the burden remains on the State to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt, and an accused need not prove innocence.
This case reinforces the fundamental principle in criminal law that the prosecution must prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. It demonstrates the appellate court's willingness to intervene where a trial court has convicted on manifestly insufficient, contradictory and incredible evidence. The case also illustrates the proper exercise of prosecutorial discretion in conceding appeals where evidence is inadequate, and underscores the protection afforded to accused persons against unsafe convictions.