R vs. ADADE [1959]DLCA2040

Date	1959-11-06
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1959]DLCA2040

KORSAH C.J.

VAN LARE J.A.

GRANVILLE SHARP J.A.

[1959]DLCA2040
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">R <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">vs. <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">ADADE<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[COURT OF APPEAL]<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[1959] GLR 365<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

DATE:
6TH NOVEMBER, 1959.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

KORSAH C.J., VAN LARE J.A. AND
GRANVILLE SHARP J.A.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF KORSAH C.J.<o:p></o:p>(His lordship
stated the facts and the grounds of appeal, and continued:-)<o:p></o:p>In our
view, there is evidence on record upon which the Court might reasonably have
convicted the appellant of the offence for which he was arraigned before it. We
have, however, been obliged to allow the appeal by reason of errors which are
apparent on the record, and which vitiate the conviction and the sentence
imposed upon the appellant by the learned Commissioner of Assize and Civil
Pleas.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>This was
a trial with assessors, and there is an essential difference between trial by a
court with the aid of assessors, and trial by a court with a jury. Assessors
are merely required to give their opinions to the Judge, who must thereafter
pronounce his own verdict whether the accused is guilty or not guilty,
irrespective of what opinions the assessors may have expressed. Thus Section
277 of the Criminal Procedure Code provides:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“The
opinion of each assessor shall be given orally, and shall be recorded in
writing by the Court, but the decision shall be vested exclusively in the
Judge. Any assessor dissenting from any decision of the Court may have his
dissent and the grounds thereof recorded in the minutes.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In a
trial by a court with a jury, on the other hand, it is the jury who pronounce
the verdict of guilty or not guilty, and the Judge is thereafter required by
law merely to record the verdict of the jury, and proceed either to convict or
acquit as the case may be in accordance with that verdict. It follows that in a
trial by a court with a jury, the Judge is not required to write any judgment
stating the reasons for the decision.<o:p></o:p>It is
clear, however, that in a trial by a court with the aid of assessors, where the
Judge is required to pronounce his verdict irrespective of what the opinions of
the assessors may be, the Judge must write a judgment stating his reasons for
whatever conclusion he reaches upon the evidence adduced before him. Thus
section 300 of the Criminal Procedure Code provides in mandatory terms as
follows:-<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“300(1)
When, in a case tried with assessors, the case on both sides is closed, the
Judge may sum up the evidence for the prosecution and the defence, and shall
then require each of the assessors to state his opinion orally, and shall
record such opinion. “(2) The Judge shall then give judgment, and in so doing
shall not be bound to conform with the opinions of the assessors, but he shall
record his judgment in writing and in every case such judgment shall contain
the point or points for determination, the decision thereon and the reasons for
the decision, and shall be dated and signed by the Judge at the time of
pronouncing it. “(3) If the accused person is convicted, the Judge shall pass
sentence on him according to law.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In the
instant case, it will be observed, from the portion of the record quoted, that
the learned Commissioner of Assize and Civil Pleas who presided at the trial
failed to give a verdict as is required by law, nor did he write a judgment
stating his reasons for rejecting the defence. He in fact accepted the opinions
of the assessors as</main>