DJABA vs. THE STATE [1966]DLHC1680

Date	1966-04-22
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1966]DLHC1680

WIREDU J.

P. A. ADJETEY FOR THE APPLICANT.

ODOI STATE ATTORNEY FOR S. M. BOISON PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[1966]DLHC1680
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DJABA <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>THE STATE <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1966] GLR 327<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:
22 APRIL 1966.<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">

P. A. ADJETEY FOR THE APPLICANT.<o:p></o:p>

ODOI, STATE ATTORNEY FOR S. M. BOISON, PRINCIPAL
STATE ATTORNEY, FOR THE RESPONDENT.<o:p></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">

WIREDU J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF WIREDU J.<o:p></o:p>The applicant
was convicted on 10 May 1965 with two others of conspiracy and stealing an
amount of £G512,000 and he was sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment with hard
labour. He has filed an appeal and applied to this court for bail.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The main
grounds of the application are that he has a reasonable chance of success in
the appeal which may take a long time before it is heard and that his being
kept in custody would work hardship and be unjust to him should the appeal
succeed. This point was canvassed exhaustively in the analysis of the 97 page
judgment of Akainyah J. (as he then was) sitting in the High Court, Accra.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
respondent dwelt mainly on the question of jurisdiction and on authorities
showing that there must be special or exceptional circumstances before bail
should be granted.<o:p></o:p>I have
therefore to decide:<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)
Whether or not I have jurisdiction to entertain this application.<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)
Conditions governing granting of bail pending appeal.<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">(3)
Whether this application should be entertained.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
application was originally brought under section 332 (1) and later amended to
include section 96 (1) to (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1960,1 and
section 22 (2) of the Courts Act, 1960.2 Section 332 (1) as amended by the
Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 1962,3 reads:<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">“After
the filing of a petition of appeal by any person entitled to appeal, and
pending the hearing, the High Court may, for reasons to be recorded by it in
writing, order that the execution of a sentence or order appealed against be
suspended and also, if he is in confinement, that he be released on bail or on
his own bond.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
respondent contends that this section comes under Part VIII of the Act and
therefore refers to appeals from district courts that being that sub-heading.
The reply to that was that that sub-heading cannot control the section because
subsequent sections reveal that though the subtitle refers to appeals from
district courts there is mention of juvenile and circuit courts and that shows
that Part VIII is not restricted to district courts. Besides section 4 of the
Interpretation Act, 1960,4 states that, “titles placed at the head or beginning
of any subdivision of an enactment . . . are intended for convenience of
reference only and do not form part of the enactment.”<o:p></o:p>