[1963]DLSC10980 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><ol><li style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#00B0F0">YEBOAH<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span>AND<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span>OTHERS<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#00B0F0">vs.<span style="letter-spacing:-.25pt"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: center; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#00B0F0">BOATENG<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span>VII<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:159.3pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">[SUPREME<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></p> <div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none; mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">[1963]<span style="letter-spacing:-.2pt"> </span>1<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>GLR<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>182 <b>DATE:</b>25TH<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt"> </span>FEBRUARY,<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>1963<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <h2 style="margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">COUNSEL<o:p></o:p></span></h2> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">ASAFU-ADJAYE<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>FOR<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>THE<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>APPELLANTS.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm; mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif">A.<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>DOVE<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>FOR<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>THE<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify; line-height:101%;tab-stops:159.3pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:101%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">CORAM: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify; line-height:101%;tab-stops:159.3pt;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:101%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">SARKODEE-ADOO JSC,<span style="letter-spacing:-.6pt"> </span>CRABBE JSC,<span style="letter-spacing: -.55pt"> </span>AKUFO-ADDO<span style="letter-spacing:-2.6pt"> </span>JSC<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify; line-height:101%;tab-stops:159.3pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 101%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p> <h2 style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">JUDGEMENT<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>OF<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>CRABBE<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>J.S.C.<o:p></o:p></span></h2> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-top:6.5pt;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:103%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:103%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">This is an appeal by the defendants-appellants from the judgment of Acolatse J. in an action for malicious<span style="letter-spacing:-2.6pt"> </span>prosecution in which he entered judgment for the plaintiff-respondent for damages amounting to 750<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>guineas,<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>inclusive of costs.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-top:6.15pt;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>first<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>duty<span style="letter-spacing:.4pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>a<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>plaintiff<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>in<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>an<span style="letter-spacing: .3pt"> </span>action<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>for<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>malicious<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>prosecution<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>is<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>prove<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>that<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:.25pt"> </span>defendant<span style="letter-spacing:.25pt"> </span>instituted<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-top:4.0pt;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:103%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:103%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">criminal proceedings against him or was actively instrumental in putting the law in force against him in<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>proceedings which terminated in his favour. But proof of this fact alone will not avail him unless he<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>proves further that the defendant acted without reasonable and probable cause and was guilty of malice.<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>Lastly,<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>the plaintiff<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>must prove that<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>he suffered damage<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt"> </span>as a result<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>of the prosecution.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-top:6.15pt;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:103%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:103%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-top:6.15pt;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:103%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:103%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">Before<span style="letter-spacing:1.0pt"> </span>dealing<span style="letter-spacing:1.0pt"> </span>with<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>evidence<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>I<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>should<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>first<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>examine<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>a<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>few<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>relevant<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>authorities<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>on<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:.95pt"> </span>subject<span style="letter-spacing:-2.65pt"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>then state the legal position as I understand it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-top:6.1pt;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:103%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:103%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-top:6.1pt;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:103%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:103%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The<span style="letter-spacing:2.6pt"> </span>prosecution<span style="letter-spacing: 2.6pt"> </span>in<span style="letter-spacing:2.65pt"> </span>this<span style="letter-spacing:2.6pt"> </span>case<span style="letter-spacing:2.65pt"> </span>was<span style="letter-spacing:2.6pt"> </span>commenced<span style="letter-spacing:2.6pt"> </span>by<span style="letter-spacing:2.6pt"> </span>way<span style="letter-spacing: 2.65pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:2.55pt"> </span>preliminary<span style="letter-spacing:2.65pt"> </span>investigation<span style="letter-spacing: 2.55pt"> </span>before<span style="letter-spacing:2.6pt"> </span>a<span style="letter-spacing:2.55pt"> </span>district<span style="letter-spacing:-2.6pt"> </span>magistrate, who committed the respondent to stand his trial at the Criminal Assizes. But before the trial<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>actually took place the Attorney-General exercising his powers under section 58 of Criminal Procedure<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>Code,1 entered a nolle prosequi and this resulted in the discharge of the respondent. Section 58 of<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>Criminal<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt"> </span>Procedure Code, 1951, states as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.35pt;margin-right:4.1pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:33.35pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 105%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">“In any criminal case, and at any stage thereof before verdict or judgment, and in the case of a preliminary<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>enquiry, whether the accused has or has not been committed for trial, the Attorney-General may enter a nolle<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>prosequi, either by stating in Court or by informi