Monday, 16 March 2015

KEITH BUSINGYE LAW GUIDE; Law of Evidence questions and answers.part 4



 EVIDENCE QUESTIONS

  1. Define the following terms;
a)                  Real evidence
Real evidence is a thing; it is usually a thing that was directly involved in some event in the case, such as a murder weapon.
b)                  Demonstrative evidence
It is evidence that demonstrates or illustrates the testimony of a witness.
c)                  Testimonial evidence
Testimonial evidence consists of what a competent witness at the proceeding in question says in court

  1.  Explain the difference between factum probendum and Factum probans. State its admissibility in evidence
Factum probendum refers to the principle of fact or fact in issue, for example in a case of murder the principle of factum probendum would be death while Factum probans means those other facts with evidential value that may help to explain the principle fact for example if death is a principle fact and x was seen with a panga at the time, then that is the factum probans and they are both admissible in court as evidence.
  1. State the rationale behind the rules of evidence.
a)                  To establishing who has the burden of proof in particular instances
b)                  To prescribe facts which may be proved
c)                  To prescribe facts to be excluded from consideration of the court e.g. privileged information.
d)                  To prescribe methods by which proof may be effected.
e)                    To prescribe the extent of proof required in a particular case.
f)                   To prescribe the effect of certain pieces of evidence.
  1. What is the res gestae principal and what forms it?
Resgastae are those other facts which are in relationship with a fact in issue and both relevance and admissibility form the res gestae principle.
  1.  What is the rationale for requiring corroboration for accomplice evidence?
a)                  Their evidence is untrustworthy before court as they are likely to tell lies in order to shift guilt from him.
b)                  As a partner in crime with accused, an accomplice is not likely to value his oath.
c)                  If an accomplice usually gives evidence because of the hope or promise to be pardoned or treated leniently by the prosecution.

  1. State the principles governing admissibility of evidence which is illegally or unfairly obtained.
a)                  Provided that the evidence is relevant there is no discretion to exclude evidence merely because that evidence is illegally obtained.
b)                  Its admissible if conducted with no force, persuasion and defendants acted voluntarily with full understanding of their own dishonesty.
  1.  What do you understand by the term evidence?
It is the means by which an allegation is proved or disproved. There are different modes of evidence which may include; document, oral evidence, and opinion evidence among others.

  1.  With reference to evidence obtained illegally or by unfair means. State the two conflicting views.
a)  Evidence which is admissible should not be excluded because of the means by which it was obtained.
b)  Such evidence should be excluded, to admit it might encourage obtaining evidence by such means.
9.                   Explain the relevant procedure required by police when conducting identification parades.
a)                  That the witness does not see the accused before the trial.
b)                  The accused is placed among at least eight persons of similar age, height and class of life.
c)                  See that the witness touches the person he or she identifies.
10.              What is the rationale for the exclusion of oral evidence?
It is that courts of law must not attempt to write agreements but should rather enforce agreements written by parties.
11.              What are the two ways an accused person can retract a confession?
a)                  By clear and positive express repudiation.
b)                  By implication.
12.              When does the best evidence rule apply?
The best evidence rule only applies to proof of the content of the document and not to cases involving the existence or identity of the document.
13.              Who is an officer in custody of a document?
This is a person in charge of the department under which the original document is kept but section 75 of the Evidence Act widens the meaning to include any officer who by ordinary course of his duty is authorized to deliver the copies in issue
14.              What is the importance of a voir dire in the law of  Evidence:
This is the procedure used to determine for example the competence of witness to testify or the admissibility of a disputed confession.
15.              According to the words of Glaisdale in DPP V Kiibourne (1973) what is relevant evidence?
Relevant evidence is that which makes the fact requiring proof more or less probable, it was defined by Glaisdale in the following words evidence is relevant. If it is logically probative or disapprobative of some matter which requires proof
16.              Give the meaning of explanatory and introductory facts
Facts which are necessary to explain or introduce a fall in issue or a relevant fail, or which rebuts or supports an influence suggested by such a fall or which establish the identity of anything or person whose identity is relevant or which fixed the time or place at which any fall in issue or relevant fact happened or which shows the relationship of parties by whom such fact was translated are admissible in no far as they are necessary for that purpose.

17.              What is meant by means of proof as evidence?
That which makes evident a fact is the means by which it is established as true, that is ,the means of proof. They include statements of witness in court, statements in writing among others.
18.              Distinguish between the following;
a)                  Preappointed and casual evidence
Preappointed evidence means that procured in anticipation of its use, and it may apparently include either that arranged privately
b)                 Prima facie and conclusive evidence
Prima facie evidence, if it is itself accepted as reliable, establishes a fact in the absence of contradictory evidence and it may discharge the burden of a party. Conclusive evidence on the other hand is merely the description of a particular proof.
c)                  Direct and circumstantial evidence.
Direct evidence means evidence of a fact disputed in a litigation, for example, evidence that the defendant’s car was on the wrong side of the highway at the time of a road accident.  Circumstantial evidence means evidence of facts from which a disputed fact can be inferred.
19.              Distinguish between an admission and a confession.
An admission means that a person has conceded, expressly or impliedly, the truth of an alleged fact whereas a confession is an admission made by a person charged with a crime, stating or suggesting the inference that he committed the crime.
20.              Illustrate the meaning of corroboration.
It means confirmation of one fact by another independent fact.
21.              What is the rationale behind judicial notice.
Judicial notice means the acceptance by a judicial tribunal of the truth of a fact without proof on the ground that it is within the tribunal’s own knowledge. It thus has the effect of limiting the scope of evidence.
22.              List five instances where court may take judicial notice of matters.
a)                  All Acts and ordinances enacted
b)                  All orders of council laws, statutory instruments or subsidiary legislation
c)                  The territories of the commonwealth
d)                  The course of proceeding of parliament.
e)                  The existence title and national flag of every state or sovereign recognized by parliament.
23.              Distinguish between burden of proof and standard of proof.
Burden of proof is an obligation to adduce evidence of a fact and it lies on whoever desires any court to give judgment on the existence of facts which he asserts whereas a standard of proof is based on the balance of probabilities in civil cases and in criminal cases the accused must prove beyond reasonable doubt.
24.              What is a leading question?
A leading question actually suggests an answer or substitutes the words of the questioning attorney for those of the witness. Many leading questions call for answers of either "yes" or "no."
25.              What constitutes the lay opinion rule in evidence?
Usually witnesses are not permitted to express their opinions or draw conclusions, a court will permit a person who is not testifying as an expert to testify in the form of an opinion if the opinion is both rationally based on his perception and helps to explain the witness's testimony.

26.              Under what circumstances is hearsay evidence admissible?
a)                  Dying declarations
b)                  Statements made in the ordinary course of business.
c)                   Statements made against the maker’s interest.
d)                  Public rights and private records.
e)                  Pedigree declarations or family affairs.
27.              Show the circumstances when court can admit opinion evidence
a)                  Expert evidence-when a court has to form an opinion upon a point of science or art.
b)                  Opinions of ordinary witnesses

28.              What is the purpose of a judge conducting a trial within a trial?
The purpose of a trial within a trial is to decide upon the evidence of both sides as to whether the confession should be admitted. Court cannot simply looking at the statement conclude that it was made voluntarily. A statement that is made voluntarily is one made absolutely free from inducement influence of whatever nature.
29.              Mention three circumstances where an attesting witness to a document need not be called?
·                     Wills, that is, where all formalities are followed, the attesting witness need not be called
·                     Where execution has been admitted for purposes of the trial.
·                     Where none of the witnesses is alive.
30.              What is presumptive evidence with relation to oral testimony and admissions?
Contents of a document may be proved presumptively especially where the original document is lost. If one’s conduct implied that he was relying on the document he will be presumed to have admitted it.
31.              What is “a fact” in evidence
A fact means and includes; anything, state of things, or relation of things, capable of being perceived by the senses and any mental condition of which any person is conscious.
32.              Write short notes on the following;
a)                  series of similar occurrences.

b) inconsistent facts.
Section 10 of the evidence act provides that facts that are otherwise irrelevant are relevant if; they are inconsistent with any fact in issue or relevant fact and if they make the existence or non-existence of any fact in issue or relevant fact highly probable or improbable.
33.              Distinguish between repudiated and retracted confessions.
 Repudiated Confession is one in which the accused avers that he never made it while a retracted confession occurs when an accused makes a statement which he later seeks to take back on ground that he either made it out of mistake or did not do it voluntarily.
34 . What factors would affect the validity of a confession?
a) Induced confessions i.e due to fear or by force
b) Lies, promises and threats.
c) False confession especially expert testimony
d) Interrogation.
35.  The general rule is that all ordinary witnesses are compellable to testify on matters asked of them during proceedings. What are the exceptions to this rule?
a)  A spouse cannot testify against his/her spouse i.e private privilege
b)  Professionals enjoy the privilege not to disclose any communication between them and their clients e.g doctors.
c) Government secrets are protected from disclosure during court proceedings.
36.  What do you understand by the term “probatioviva”?
This is oral evidence, defined as all statements required by court to be made before it by witnesses in relation to matters of fact under inquiry.
37. write short notes on the following;
a)  hostile witnesses
A hostile witness is a witness on the accused’s side but when giving evidence, starts giving evidence against the accused and in favour of the prosecution.
b) Testimony
i) A sworn testimony is a testimony given by a competent witness after taking an oath.
ii) An un Sworn testimony is one given by a competent witness without taking an oath.
38.   explain the procedure of court with regard to child witnesses.
a) To determine the age and make a finding on the record.
b) To determine whether the child understands the nature of an oath.
c) If the court is satisfied then he can be sworn and affirmed.
d) The court will then have to question the child further to find out if he understands the duty of speaking the truth.
39.              What is insufficient evidence?
This is evidence that is so weak that no reasonable man could decide an issue in reliance upon that evidence alone
40.              What is the rationale of the parole evidence rule?
The object of reducing oral terms into writing is to perpetuate the memory of what is written down and also to provide permanent proof of which thus to effectuate this principle, the document itself must be produced as evidence
41.              Give at least five instances for rejecting hearsay?
·                     The person who makes the statement cannot be present to be cross-examined to establish the veracity of the statement. The person who reports may do so carelessly or maliciously.
·                     There is a likelihood of distortion of the original statement. It may be twisted depending on the interests of the witness.
·                     There is lack of opportunity of judging the powers of perception of the person who made the statement
·                     It may not be possible to establish the meaning of the words used because the third party may have used the words in a special sense. The persons reporting may give a false meaning.
·                     There is no opportunity to judge the demeanor of the person who made the original statement. You cannot judge the tone of the voice used, looks on the face of the person
42.               Illustrate the meaning of motive and how it’s established?
a)                  It is what influences a person to act in a particular way, which may constitute a fear or desire to bring about a particular activity.
b)                  It is a mental state derived from circumstances and relationships, and may be established from one’s words or demeanor.
43.               Briefly explain how the chain of evidence operates.
The various pieces of evidence which make up the chain are literally strung together into a sequence of events or pieces of puzzle. A weakness in any particular link in the chain will not support the case or defense.
44.               What factors have been put into consideration to avoid the dangers of such testimony by a single witness?
a)                  Presence and nature of light.
b)                  Length of time
c)                  Opportunity the witness had to see the accused.
d)                  Distance between them.
45.              What do you understand by the term relevance and admissibility of evidence?
This refers to the kind of evidence relevant to prove a particular fact. However not everything relevant is admissible yet for something to be admissible it must be relevant.
46.               There are 3 exceptions which enable court to establish facts by special means. State them.
a)                  Formal admissions are made with deliberate purpose of dispensing with proof, but informal admissions are usually the subject of proof.
b)                  Court may take judicial notice of fact.
c)                  In case of presumptions and thus substitute for evidence.
47.              If a judge relied on the evidence of a child of twelve years to convict an accused of murder and did not warn himself of the need to corroborate the child’s evidence would this be admissible as evidence?
Unsworn evidence of children of tender years must be corroborated as a matter of law but in practice all evidence of children of tender years whether sworn or unsworn would require corroboration and courts have held that even when there is sworn evidence there is need for corroboration.
48.              . What is the rationale behind the relevance of similar facts in the law of evidence?
The rule proceeds on a belief that persons do not easily change their habits and that if they have done similar acts in the past, they are likely to repeat them.
49.              List down the relevant forms of admissions
a)                  By way of affidavits
b)                  Answers to interrogatories
c)                  Declaration in wills
50.              The legal burden never shifts except where presumptions operate. Justify the legal efficacy of the general rule?
 A legal burden may be placed on the accused in relation to a specific defence raised, this is the new legal burden requiring the defendant to prove on the balance of probabilities.
51. Distinguish between Competence and Compellability of Witnesses
Competence refers to the capacity of a person to give evidence while compellability refers to whether a particular person can be subjected to the compulsory processes of court

52. Are the following categories of witnesses competent to testify in court?
a) A deaf-mute:
Yes. They may give their evidence in any other manner in which they can make it intelligible as by writing or signs in open court. It is deemed oral evidence (Hamisi s/o Balum vs. R)
b) The Accused Party:
He is a competent witness for himself but not compellable to give evidence at his trial.
c) Accomplices:
An accomplice is a competent witness as against an accused person.
d) Spouses:
A spouse is a competent and compellable witness for the defence of his/her spouse, whether they are charged jointly with others. S.120, Evidence Act
e) Children
A child is not a competent witness if by reason of his or her age, the child cannot understand the questions put to him or her.

53. What do you understand by the term voire dire?
            A voire dire is a preliminary examination of prospective witnesses under oath to determine their competence or suitability to testify in court.

54. What do you understand by the term Privilege with regard to witnesses?
            Privilege refers to immunity from compellability to testify in a proceeding.

55. What are the different categories of privilege?
a) Private Privilege:
This is enjoyed by private persons by virtue of their personal status (e.g. husband and wife cannot be compelled to testify about communications made during the subsistence of their marriage, even after separation.)
b) Professional Privilege
            This is immunity granted to professionals from compellability to disclose communications made between them and their clients (e.g. A doctor and information about his patients)
c) Public Privilege
            This protects government from disclosure during court proceedings. It deals with diplomatic and presidential Immunity. S. 122-123 Evidence Act

56.What do you understand by the term Burden of Proof?
·         It is the obligation to prove facts (i.e. evidential or provisional burden)
·         It is also the duty to prove a case (i.e. legal burden) *note that this does not shift and is always on the plaintiff.

57. How is it different from “standard of proof”?
            While the burden of proof is the obligation to prove facts or a case, the standard of proof is the degree to which one must aspire to prove said facts or case once the burden has been so imposed.

58. Distinguish between the Standard of Proof in Civil cases and that in Criminal Cases
            In civil cases, the standard is to prove the case on the balance of probabilities/ preponderance of doubt while in criminal cases the standard is to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

59. What is Corroborative Evidence?
            Corroborative evidence is evidence which tends to support or confirm other evidence already given in court.
60. What are the key elements regarding corroborative evidence?
·         It has to be from an independent source -R vs. Bakersville
·         It should connect the accused to the commission of the offence
·         It needn’t corroborate the whole story – R vs. Manilal

61. When is corroboration necessary?
·         As a matter of law, i.e. where there is a statutory requirement
·         As a matter of judicial practice

62. When is corroboration necessary as a matter of law?
·         Under the Penal Code Act (e.g. for the offences of Treason, Sedition, Perjury, Procuring defilement
·         Under the Children’s Act
·         Under the Traffic and Road Safety Act

63. When is corroboration necessary as a matter of judicial practice?
For the following categories of evidence
·         Accomplice Evidence- R vs. Bakersville
·         Evidence of the victim in Sexual Offences- Chila vs. R
·         Dying Declarations
·         Retracted and Repudiated Confessions- Turwamoi vs. Uganda
·         Identification of a single witness
·         Evidence of a child of tender years

64. Distinguish between Attested and Unattested documents
            Attested documents are documents which signing or execution must be witnessed by any other person than the person(s) who signed them for them to be valid while an unattested document is a document not required by law to be witnessed in order to be valid.

65. What is the Best Evidence Rule?
            The rule states that the Best evidence which the nature of the case permits must be given.
For instance where the original document is available, it must be produced.

66. When may secondary evidence be given to prove the contents of a document?
·         Where the document is in the hands of the adversary who refuses to produce it on notice
·         Where the original is in the possession of a person out of reach
·         Where the original is in the hands of a person legally bound to produce it but does not do so after being given notice.

67. What do you understand by the following categories of evidence?
a)      Admissions and confessions
These are instances where a person’s own words or statements may be adduced in evidence against him or her. However these modes of evidence should not be induced or influenced in any ways.

a)      Evidence of opinions
It is a type of evidence that is got or obtained from one’s way of observation. An example can be expert opinion like a doctor called to give evidence about a postmortem in a murder case.

b)      Character evidence
This refers to a general disposition, reputation or behavior or conduct held by a cross-section of the public

c)      Hearsay evidence
This is a kind of evidence is one that is looked at for the purpose of establishing its truthfulness the person who was told by another is being examined

d)      Documentary evidence
This deals with all documents which are produced for the inspection of the court. It can either be primary which engages original documents or secondary where copies of the original documents are used as evidence.

68. What do the following terminologies mean?
a.      Document
This refers to any matter expressed or described upon any substance by means of letters, figures, and marks or by more than those means, intended to be used or actually used for the purpose of recording the matter.

b.      Fact
Anything, state of things or relation of thins capable of being perceived by the senses
It may also be any mental condition of which any person is conscious ie both physical and non physical

c.       Fact in issue
This refers to any fact which, either by itself or in connection with other facts, the existence, non existence nature or extent of any right liability or disability asserted oir denied in any suit or proceeding necessarily follows

d.      Prima-facie evidence
This refers to evidence which establishes a fact and that fact will be presumed to exist unless there is contrary evidence.

e.       Conclusive evidence
This is evidence if adduced, cannot be contradicted ie it is not enough to lead to a finding in a particular direction 

d.      Real evidence
This refers to evidence of a material nature which can be seen, touched, smelt or felt.

e.       Direct evidence
It means evidence of that person who saw, felt or heard the fact in issue. It also means the assertion of a witness about a fact of which he or she has direct knowledge offered as evidence of the truth of what is asserted.

f.        Circumstantial evidence
It means any fact or fact relevant to the issue from which the existence of fact in issue may be inferred.

69. What do you understand by the term Estoppel?
            It is a primary rule of evidence whereby a party to litigation is prevented from denying something whish he had previously asserted to be true. – Nurdin Bandali vs. Lombark

70. List any two characteristics of estoppel?
  • It must be reciprocal and mutual (i.e. bind both parties to litigation)
  • It must be certain
  • It cannot be used to circumvent the law
  • Conflicting estoppels cancel each other
  • Estoppel is NOT a cause of action (shield and not a sword)
  • Estoppel arises only as a matter of fact, not law.

71. What are the three recognized categories of estoppel?
  • Estoppel by conduct (includes estoppel by representation* and estoppel by negligence*)
  • Estoppel by deed
  • Estoppel by judgement or record

72. Define judicial notice
            This is the process by which courts take cognizance of matters which are so notorious or clearly established that formal evidence of their existence is unnecessary.
            It is essentially an exception to the rule that all facts in issue must be proved by evidence.

73. What matters may court take judicial notice of?
·         Matters of a public or universal nature which are so well known that courts will not require formal proof thereof
·         Matters of common notoriety
*There are three broad categories,
·         legal matters
·         constitutional matters
·         customary matters

74. Under the doctrine of judicial notice, Court CAN take into account any personal knowledge of private matters- true or false?
False

75. Explain the Parole Evidence Rule
            This is a rule that excludes oral evidence by documentary evidence.
            *For better comprehension;
(Where the terms of any disposition have been reduced to a form of document and in all cases in which a matter is required to be in the form of a document, no evidence shall be given in proof of the terms of such contract except the document itself.)- s.91, Evidence Act

76. Are documents exclusively restricted to words or pictures on paper?
            No. in modern law of Evidence even signposts, tombstones, video and audio recordings are regarded as documents- Salau Dean vs. R.

77. What do you understand by a presumption in Evidence Law?
            A presumption is the assumption of truth of a fact. It is a conclusion which must be drawn until the contrary is proved.

78. What are the categories of presumptions?
·         Presumption of fact
·         Irrebuttable presumption of law
·         Rebuttable presumption of law

79. List any three rebuttable presumptions of law
·         Presumption on favour of the continuance of life- S.107. Evidence Act
·         Presumption of death- S.108
·         Presumption of Continuance of Human Affairs once they are shown to exist- S.109
·         Presumption that possession of property is evidence of ownership- S.110
·         Presumption of legitimacy- S.112

80. Define Irrebuttable presumptions of law
            These refer to rules of substantive law or procedure expressed in presumptive form, for example under s.14 of the Penal Code Act where it is conclusively presumed that no child under seven years can be guilty of any criminal offence.

81. How do the above differ from rebuttable presumptions of law?
            With Rebuttable presumptions of law the conclusion as to the existence of the presumed fact is only drawn in the absence of evidence to the contrary while under irrebuttable presumptions, once the basic fact is established, that is legal proof of its existence.
            In brief-
            Irrebuttable: Establishment= Existence
            Rebuttable: Establishment + Absence of evidence to the contrary = Existence :-)
82. Which one of these is not part of the process of examining witnesses?
1. Examination-in-Chief
2. Cross Examination
  • 3. Examination-in-Review
4.  Re-examination

83. Name two types of questions that court cannot allow counsel to ask a witness
  • Indecent/scandalous questions- s. 150 Evidence Act
  • Questions intended to Insult or annoy- s. 151
84. What is meant by ‘judgement in rem’?
            This is a judgement which affects  a thing, or decides the status of a thing. Examples include bankruptcy orders. Such a judgment operates universally as the rational is that the legal status of things should be left in no doubt.
85. Is it identical to judgement in personam? If so, proceed, if not, explain why.
            It is NOT.
Judgements in personam are between parties and include personal actions, for instance under contract, tort.
*The difference;
Judgements in personam are binding on only the persons involved and the subject matter of the action, unlike those in rem which are universally binding.
Secondly, the estoppel that arises from a judgement in rem is applied for or against the whole world while that from judgements in personam applies ONLY to parties involved in the suit.

Answer the next six questions by writing whether the statement is true or false.
86. Where corroboration is required by statute, courts will not convict in absence of such corroboration
            True

87. An accomplice is a disinterested party whose testimony should be taken as pure truth and court should convict on the testimony without further inquiry.
            False
88. Oral Evidence takes precedence over documentary evidence and CAN alter the contents of a written document
            False

89. Before one uses the shield of estoppel by negligence, one must prove the existence of a duty of care owed to him or her by the other party.
            True

90. Opinion Evidence may be given by anybody alive who has an opinion on the matter in court.
            False

91. The order of examination is up to the witness and he can in fact opt to be cross-examined first, then re-examined and end with the examination-in-chief.
            False (ref s. 137 Evidence Act)

92. What is a leading question?
            This is any question suggesting the answer which the person putting it wishes or expects to receive. – s. 140

93. Can leading questions be asked?
Leading questions can be asked ONLY during the cross-examination s. 142
To ask a leading question during the Examination-in-chief or Re-examination, court permission must be granted first.

94. Who is a hostile witness?
            A hostile witness is a witness in a trial who testifies for the opposing party or a witness who offers adverse testimony to the calling party.

95. What is the rationale for courts requiring corroboration for evidence given by a child?
            Children can easily be coached or fooled. They are impressionable and susceptible.
                
96. What does one do to prove the contents of a document that has been destroyed or lost?
            One may produce secondary evidence after proving that a diligent search was conducted and the document not found.

97. The general rule regarding character evidence is that such evidence is inadmissible. However there are exceptions. List the various exceptions.
  1. Where the accused person or his /her agent puts his /her character in issue.
  2. Where there is evidence of committal and conviction of the accused for a previous similar offence.
  3. Where the nature or conduct of the accused’s defence is such as to involve imputations on the character of the complainant or the witnesses of the prosecution. 
  4. Where he/she has given evidence against any other person charged with the offence as that which he/she is charged. 

98. What are the modes of procuring evidence?
·         Testimony of witnesses (oral evidence)
·         Using exhibits
·         Documentary evidence
·         Expert opinions

99. What are the particular aspects of res gestae?
·         Facts forming the same transaction.
·         Facts which are the occasion, cause or effect of facts in issue S.6 UEA
·         Motive preparation and conduct S.7 UEA

100. What do you understand by the following?
a)  Res gestae
It is the term that connotes Acts, declarations and circumstances constituting, accompanying or explaining a fact of transaction in issue.

b) Factum probendum
Factum probendum means the principle of fact or fact in issue, for instance in murder it means death.

c) Factum probans?
It means those other factors with evidential value that may help to explain the principle fact.
KEITH BUSINGYE LAW








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