ZANLERIGU vs. THE REPUBLIC

JUDGMENT OF AKUFO-ADDO C.J. The appellant, a colonel in the Ghana Army, and who at the material time was in protective custody at the Ussher Fort Prison, Accra, was charged with, and convicted of, abetment of smuggling a thing (i.e. a letter written by him) out of prison without the authority of the prison superintendent. Particulars of the offence as stated in the relevant count in the charge sheet read as follows: “David Gbon Zanlerigu: For that you during the month of July 1966, at Ussher Fort Prison, Accra in the Eastern Circuit and within the jurisdiction of this court, procured a convict prisoner in the commission of a crime, namely, conveying a letter out of Ussher Fort Prison without authority from the Prison Superintendent to one Brigadier D. C. K. Amenu.” The appellant was also charged on another count with conspiracy to smuggle a thing (i.e. the same letter as aforesaid) out of prison. He was discharged on this count, and an appeal against the discharge entered by...