[1975]DLSC408 • December 16, 1975 • Supreme Court •
MENSAH vs. THE REPUBLIC
The appellant was charged before the District Court Grade II with stealing a shirt valued at ¢6.00 belonging to John Kwaku Nsiah. He pleaded guilty and was convicted and sentenced to nine months' imprisonment with hard labour. The appellant appealed against the sentence.
read moreJUDGMENT OF TAYLOR J. The appellant was arraigned before the district court grade II on 1 August 1975 on a charge of stealing a shirt valued at ¢6.00, the property of one John Kwaku Nsiah. He pleaded guilty to the charge and he was therefore convicted on his own plea and sentenced to a term of nine months’ imprisonment with hard labour. It is against the sentence of nine months’ imprisonment with hard labour that he has appealed to this court. On the case coming before me for summary hearing for the first time on 11 December 1975, Counsel for the appellant submitted that this is a very simple case of stealing involving an article of little value. He submitted further that the appellant is a first offender and urged me on the authority of R. v. Jowsey (1915) 11 Cr.App.R. 241, C.C.A. to deal with the appeal summarily and reduce the sentence without calling on or notifying the Attorney-General as counsel for the Republic. I must confess that I was rather shocked and tak...