[1999]DLCA114 • June 21, 1999 • Court of Appeal
BECKLEY AND OTHERS vs THE REPUBLIC
Nine accused persons, including the appellants, were charged before the Western Regional Public Tribunal in June 1987 with conspiracy to sabotage the economy of Ghana. Some were also charged with abuse of office and abetment of crime. After a trial lasting over a year, all were convicted and sentenced in August 1988. The seventh, eighth, and ninth accused were tried and sentenced in absentia and remain at large. The six appellants appealed their convictions and sentences, which they had already served.
read moreJUDGMENT OF BADDOO JA. Nine accused persons including the appellants herein were charged before the Western Regional Public Tribunal on June 9 1987 with conspiracy to commit a crime, to wit doing an act to sabotage the economy of Ghana. The seventh, eighth and ninth accused persons who are now at large were further charged with abuse of office for private profit while the sixth appellant herein was additionally charged with abetment of crime. On 3 August 1988, almost fourteen months later after the trial begun in June 1987, all the appellants including the seventh eighth and ninth accused persons, were convicted and sentenced to the following terms of fines and imprisonment: “(1) The first to ninth accused are sentenced to one year Imprisonment on count one. (2) The first to ninth accused are sentenced to a fine of ¢500,000 each or in default five years’imprisonment with hard labour on count two. (3) The eighth accused is sentenced to one years’ imprisonment with ...