R vs. FRAFRA [1959]DLCA2043

Date	1959-12-11
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1959]DLCA2043

KORSAH C.J.

VAN LARE J.A.

GRANVILLE SHARP J.A.

[1959]DLCA2043
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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">FRAFRA<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 442<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:
11TH DECEMBER, 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 GRANVILLE SHARP, J.A.<o:p></o:p>(His
lordship stated the facts and proceeded:—)<o:p></o:p>The
appellant’s allegations were not supported by the evidence, and there are
reasons to suppose that they are figments of imagination and insane delusion.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>There was
evidence, too, that he had inflicted an injury to his own person of a kind that
is characteristic of a severe form of mental derangement. Dr. Cudjoe said, “The
emotional factor is often highly disturbed in this type of insanity,” and he
said that the appellant’s statement as to the reason for his attack on his wife
“may have been a persecutory delusion.” He added, “He could have acted on that
delusion.” It is clear, in our opinion, that if the appellant acted in the way
he did under a delusion that he was witnessing an act of sexual intercourse
between his wife and another man, then he was acting under an insane delusion
within the meaning of Section 52 (2) of the Criminal Code.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Section
52 reads 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">“52. When
a person is accused of crime, the special verdict provided for in section 137
of the Criminal Procedure Code shall only be applicable— <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">(1) if he
was prevented, by reason of idiocy, imbecility, or any mental derangement or
disease affecting the mind, from knowing the nature or consequences of the act
in respect of which he is accused; or <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">(2) if he
did the act in respect of which he is accused under the influence of an insane
delusion of such a nature as to render him, in the opinion of the jury or of
the Court, an unfit subject for punishment of any kind in respect of such act.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
learned Judge summed up to the Jury on the issue of insanity, and called
attention to the contents of page 15 of the 34th Edition of Archbold. The
passage which he seems to have read is concerned with the answers of the
English Judges which have become known as the M’Naghten Rules.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
passage in question is not related to the provisions of Section 52 (2) of our
Code. It appears from the record that the learned Judge unfortunately
overlooked the distinction between the English Rules and the Ghana Code, and
did not direct the attention of the Jury to the latter or acquaint them with
the provisions of Section 52. It follows from this that the Jury received what
we feel was an inadequate direction upon insanity and insane delusion, and upon
the effects of these on the kind of verdict which is appropriate in such cases.<o:p></o:p>