BANDA vs. THE REPUBLIC

JUDGMENT OF OSEI-HWERE J. The appellant was arraigned before the District Court Grade I, Wenchi, on four counts of stealing. He pleaded guilty to all the counts and he was accordingly convicted and sentenced to a term of two years’ imprisonment with hard labour on each count and the trial magistrate ordered the sentences to run consecutively having regard to the facts of the case. The facts of the case as told by the prosecutor to the court disclosed that on the night in question when all the thefts in the four counts were committed there was a wedding dance in the village of Menji to which the complainants had repaired. The appellant and one other took advantage of the situation and went from door to door to steal the articles mentioned in the counts. The personal effects stolen amounted to ¢800.00, ¢200.16, ¢90.00 and ¢60.00 in the respective counts. The appellant who is aggrieved by his conviction and sentences has petitioned to the court upon the following grounds: “(...