REPUBLIC vs. GENERAL COURT MARTIAL; EX PARTE MENSAH [1974]DLHC2322

Date	1974-03-28
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1974]DLHC2322

ABBAN J.

H. K. AKUFFO FOR THE APPLICANT.

CAPTAIN F. W. AMARTEIFIO STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE REPUBLIC.

[1974]DLHC2322
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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">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: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">GENERAL COURT MARTIAL; EX PARTE MENSAH<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<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;[1974] 1 GLR 355<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:
28 MARCH 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 windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

H. K.
AKUFFO FOR THE APPLICANT.<o:p></o:p>

CAPTAIN F.
W. AMARTEIFIO, STATE ATTORNEY, FOR THE REPUBLIC.<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">

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

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGEMENT OF ABBAN J.<o:p></o:p>In this
application, brought under Order 59, r. 2 of the Supreme [High] Court (Civil
Procedure) Rules, 1954 (L.N. 140A), the applicant is asking for an order of prohibition
and certiorari directed against the General Court Martial “currently trying the
applicant on a charge of conduct prejudicial to the good order and discipline
of the Armed Forces.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
applicant is a lieutenant in the Ghana Army. On or about 31 July 1972, while he
was on duty at the Tema Harbour, he stole from one of the sheds, three bales of
grey baft, seven bales of furnishing material, two cases of Volkswagon spare
parts, nine cartons of yeast and three bales of fishing nets, all belonging to
the Ghana Government. He unlawfully used the Armed Forces’ vehicle to transport
the stolen goods from the harbour to house No. M/11 in Community 5, Tema, where
he was at that time residing.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Consequently,
he was charged with two counts of fraudulent misapplication (which offence is
almost the same as stealing), contrary to section 52 (1) (a) of the Armed
Forces Act, 1962 (Act 105); and also with one count of unauthorised use of a
vehicle of the Armed Forces, contrary to section 50 (a) of the same Act. The applicant
was summarily tried by a disciplinary service tribunal; and on 28 November
1972, he was convicted on all the three counts. It may be observed that an
accused person, if convicted under the<o:p></o:p>

said
section 52 (1) (a), can be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
seven years or “to any less punishment provided” by the Act. In the case of
conviction under section 50 (a) the sentence is imprisonment “for less than two
years or to any less punishment provided” by the Act.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Section
78 (1) provides a scale of punishment numbering (a) to (n), and the section
states that each of the “punishments shall be deemed to be a punishment less
than every punishment preceding it” in the scale. In the scale the death
penalty is considered the highest, followed by imprisonment for two years or
more. The third highest punishment in the scale is dismissal with disgrace from
the Armed Forces.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Following
his conviction, the applicant was given this third highest sentence; that is,
“dismissal from the Armed Forces with disgrace” and without any release
benefits. The letter which conveyed the sentence of dismissal to the applicant
was dated 28 May 1973 and it was signed by the Military Secretary, Ministry of
Defence, Burma Camp, Accra. On the receipt of that letter of dismissal, the
applicant on 8 June 1973, addressed a petition to the Head of State and
Chairman of the National Redemption Council, apparently, protesting against his
dismissal. It must be noted that the applicant did not appeal against his
conviction and sentence to the Court Martial Appeal Court.<o:p></o:p>