LORD PHIDELIS SAKAH (APPELLANT) vs. THE REPUBLIC (RESPONDENT)

ADJEI, J.A: The Appellant was tried by the Circuit Court, Tema on a charge of defilement of a child contrary to section 101(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). The trial Circuit Court convicted the Appellant on 18th November, 2011 and sentenced him to the maximum prison term of twenty-five years. The Appellant, dissatisfied with the conviction and sentence imposed on him, sought the leave of the High Court to appeal against same. The High Court dismissed the appeal against conviction and granted the appeal against sentence in part. The High Court set aside the twenty-five years term of imprisonment imposed on the Appellant and substituted it for fifteen years in hard labour. The Appellant, dissatisfied with the judgment of the High Court, appealed to this Court against both the conviction and sentence. The Appellant, who was self-represented, filed the ground of appeal to this Court and the Court shall look at the substance of the appeal rather than form in o...