REPUBLIC vs. BRIGHT [1974]DLHC2316

Date	1974-05-28
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1974]DLHC2316

ANDOH J.

N. A. KOTEY ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE REPUBLIC.

ACCUSED IN PERSON.

[1974]DLHC2316
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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:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">REPUBLIC <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:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">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:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">BRIGHT <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, HO]<o:p></o:p>[1974] 2 GLR 138<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">

DATE:<span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0"> 28 MAY 1974.<o:p></o:p>

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

<a name="_gjdgxs"></a>N. A. KOTEY, ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY, FOR THE REPUBLIC.<o:p></o:p>

ACCUSED
IN PERSON.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

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

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF ANDOH J.<o:p></o:p>The
accused in this case was arraigned before the District Court Grade I, Keta, on
a charge of dishonestly receiving. He pleaded guilty to the charge. The accused
then gave some explanation which had the effect either expressly or by
necessary implication of neutralising or negativing the commission of the crime
for which he was charged. Instead of the learned trial magistrate entering a
plea of “not guilty” on his behalf as he was in duty bound so to do as the
explanation made the plea ambiguous or otherwise inconsistent with the plea of
“guilty,” he accepted the plea of guilty” and convicted the accused allegedly
on his own plea. Thereafter, on learning of his shocking past, the learned
magistrate then committed the accused for sentence to the High Court under
sections 1 and 3 of the Punishment of Habitual Criminals Act, 1963 (Act 192).
Under such circumstances what are the duties of the sentencing court? The
questions which come to mind are:<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">(i)
Whether the magistrate was right in accepting the plea of “guilty” and
convicting the accused thereon despite the explanation which the accused
offered and which the magistrate recorded in the proceedings? In other words
was the magistrate under a legal obligation to enter a plea of “not guilty” on
behalf of the accused in view of his explanation?<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">(ii)
Secondly whether this court should also ignore the explanation on record given
by the accused without reviewing the case and accept the plea and conviction as
they stand and pass sentence after conducting an independent inquiry as to
whether the accused is a suitable person to undergo a sentence of preventive or
productive hard labour for the protection of the public as prescribed by the
Act 192? See Aikins alias Mensah v. The State [1966] G.L.R. 170, S.C.<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">(iii) The
third question which arises is whether assuming that the court is not bound to
pass sentence, but that it has an inherent jurisdiction to review the case as a
whole, can it either acquit the accused even though the case is not on appeal
before the sentencing court? Or enter a plea of “not guilty” by curing the
fundamental defect on the face of the record?<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">(iv) The
last question is whether in the particular circumstances of this case assuming
that the court has the power to review the whole of the evidence before it as
posed under <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">(iii)
above, ought it to send the case back to be tried de novo by entering a plea of
“not guilty” or acquit and discharge the accused and if the former is the
better course to take, whether the case should be heard by the same magistrate
or court differently constituted?<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In
attempting to answer the problem posed in the first issue above, I must state
this from the outset. I take it to be clearly settled that where an accused
person pleads “guilty” to a crime but adds words in explanation thereto, which
expressly or by necessary implication negative the cormmission of the crime
charged or any of the elements collectively constituting the crime, the
tribunal, be it the High Court or an inferior court is under a legal obligation
to enter a plea of “not guilty” on behalf of the accused to enable the case to
be contested on its merits. It makes no difference whether or not the accused
is even represented by an advocate before the tribunal: see section 199 (4) of
the Criminal Procedure Code, 1960 (Act 30), which provides 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">“(4) Where
the accused pleads guilty but adds words indicating that he may have a defence
or so indicates in answer to the Court, the Court shall enter a plea of not
guilty and record it as having been entered by order of the Court.”<o:p></o:p><o:p</main>