REPUBLIC vs. MAIKANKAN AND OTHERS [1971]DLSC2157

Date	1971-07-30
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1971]DLSC2157

BANNERMAN C.J.

KOI LARBI JCS

SIRIBOE JSC

CHARLES CRABBE JSC

APALOO J.S.C

GYEKE-DAKO CHIEF STATE ATTORNEY (WITH HIM G. K. AVAH ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY) FOR THE REPUBLIC.

P. SWANIKER FOR THE FIRST ACCUSED.

P.A. ADJETEY FOR THE FOURTH AND FIFTH ACCUSED.

OFOSU-ASANTE FOR THE FIFTH ACCUSED.

KWAKU BOATENG (WITH HIM A. B. K. QUARTEY) FOR THE SEVENTH EIGHTH AND NINTH ACCUSED.

[1971]DLSC2157
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >REPUBLIC <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>MAIKANKAN AND OTHERS <o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT]<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;[1971] 2 GLR 473<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:
30 JULY 1971.<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">

GYEKE-DAKO, CHIEF STATE ATTORNEY (WITH HIM G. K.
AVAH, ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY), FOR THE REPUBLIC.<o:p></o:p>

P. SWANIKER FOR THE FIRST ACCUSED.<o:p></o:p>

P.A. ADJETEY FOR THE FOURTH AND FIFTH ACCUSED.<o:p></o:p>

OFOSU-ASANTE FOR THE FIFTH ACCUSED.<o:p></o:p>

KWAKU BOATENG (WITH HIM A. B. K. QUARTEY) FOR THE
SEVENTH, EIGHTH AND NINTH ACCUSED.<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">

BANNERMAN C.J., KOI LARBI, SIRIBOE,
CHARLES CRABBE AND APALOO JJ.S.C<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF BANNERMAN C.J.<o:p></o:p>Bannerman
C.J. delivered the judgment of the court. This is a reference by way of a case
stated by Aboagye J. as a result of submissions made by counsel in the trial of
the accused persons at the Criminal Sessions held at Accra on 17 June 1971. The
proceedings up to the time of the said submissions were as indicated in the
case stated by the trial judge 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">“The ten
accused persons were on 20 May 1971, committed by his worship Mr. E. T. A.
Torto, District Magistrate, to the High Court, Accra, for trial on charges of
conspiracy to defraud contrary to sections 23 (1) and 131 of the Criminal Code,
1960; defrauding by false pretences contrary to section 131 of the Criminal
Code, 1960; forgery of document contrary to section 158 of the Criminal Code,
1960; uttering forged document, contrary to section 169 of the Criminal Code,
1960; and making illegal payments outside Ghana contrary to section 6 and
paragraph 5 (1) of Part II of the Exchange Control Act, 1961. None of the
charges carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. All the accused persons
duly appeared before the High Court presided over by me, on 17 June 1971. They
were all represented by counsel. Before the charges could be read to the
accused persons Mr. Gyeke-Dako, Chief State Attorney, pleaded that owing to the
complicated nature of the case I was to try the case without jury. He read
articles 20 (2) and 112 (2) of the Constitution, 1969, and submitted that since
none of the charges carries the death penalty or life imprisonment I was
competent to try the case without jury. Mr. Kwaku-Boateng, counsel for the
seventh, eighth and ninth accused persons, agreed with Mr. Gyeke-Dako. The
other defence counsel, through Mr. J. B. Quashie-Idun, however, disagreed with
the learned chief state attorney and submitted that the interpretation put on
article 20 (2) of the Constitution was wrong. Mr. Quashie-Idun referred to
section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1960 (Act 30), (hereinafter
referred to as Act 30) and submitted that the trial can only be heard by me and
a jury.” The trial judge referred the matter to this court under and by virtue
of the provisions of article 106 (2) of the Constitution for determination of
the simple question “whether a justice of the High Court can try the charges
against the accused persons herein without a jury.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
provisions of article 112 (2) of the Constitution provide that:<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 High
Court of Justice shall be duly constituted, as the case may be, (a) by any one
Justice thereof; or (b) by any one Justice thereof and a jury, in accordance
with the provisions of paragraph (a) of clause (2) of article 20 of this
Constitution, for the trial of an offence, other than treason, the punishment
for which is death or imprisonment for life; or (c) by two Justices thereof in
accordance with Rules of Court for the determination of any other particular cause
or matter; or (d) by three Justices thereof, in accordance with the provisions
of paragraph (h) of clause (2) of article 20 of this Constitution, for the
trial of any person for the offence of treason.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>