REPUBLIC vs. SPECIAL TRIBUNAL; EX PARTE FORSON [1979]DLHC1113

Date	1979-05-19
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1979]DLHC1113

TAYLOR J.

E. N. MOORE FOR THE APPLICANT.

J. E. K. APPIAH SPECIAL PROSECUTOR (WITH HIM B. AKWETEY AND NAVAL-LT. ASSASSIE GYIMAH FOR THE RESPONDENT.

KALEO-BIO PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE REPUBLIC.

[1979]DLHC1113
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >REPUBLIC <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>SPECIAL TRIBUNAL; EX PARTE FORSON<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA] <o:p></o:p>[1978] GLR 529<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:
19 MAY 1979<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>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">

E. N. MOORE FOR THE APPLICANT.<o:p></o:p>

J. E. K. APPIAH, SPECIAL PROSECUTOR (WITH HIM B.
AKWETEY AND NAVAL-LT. ASSASSIE GYIMAH, FOR THE RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

KALEO-BIO, PRINCIPAL 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 1.0pt 0in">

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

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF TAYLOR J.<o:p></o:p>On 24
March 1980, Mr. E. N. Moore, a one-time Attorney-General and Commissioner of
Justice in this Republic, made an ex parte application for and on behalf of the
applicant herein “praying for leave for the issue of a writ of certiorari to
quash the judgment of the special tribunal and for such further order or orders
as to this honourable court may seem fit.” The judgment of the special tribunal
established by section 1 of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (Special
Tribunal and Other Matters) Decree, 1979 (A.F.R.C.D 23), sought to be
questioned was a judgment given against the applicant in a case entitled the
Republic v. Bernard Aidoo Forson.<o:p></o:p>It was a
judgment founded on two counts of criminal charges preferred against the
applicant. The charges in the counts said to arise from the Archer Report on
the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board Committee of Inquiry are:<o:p></o:p>(1) Obtaining an advantage by using his official position in
the public service contrary to section 3 (1)<o:p></o:p>(a) of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (Special
Courts) Decree, 1979 (A.F.R.C.D 3), and<o:p></o:p>(2) Doing acts with intent to sabotage the economy of Ghana
contrary to section 3 (1) (h) of A.F.R.C.D 3.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>After
what to all intents and purposes looked like a summary trial, the tribunal
delivered its judgment on 4 February 1980 and in the said judgment after
reviewing the case against the applicant, it found him guilty, convicted him
accordingly and sentenced him to a term of three years penal labour on each
count, the sentences to run concurrently. It is the said judgment of the
special tribunal which the applicant by his counsel is seeking to have quashed
by praying in aid the supervisory jurisdiction of the High Court by means of
the remedy of certiorari.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>As I said
at the commencement of this ruling, the ex parte application was made on 24
March 1980 and in granting leave, I intimated to counsel that the decision of
the Court of Appeal in Republic v. Accra Special Circuit Court; Ex parte Akosah
[1978] G.L.R. 212 may create some difficulties and I would wish to hear
arguments at the proper time.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
single argument advanced at the hearing of the application for leave was that
the special tribunal did not at any stage of its proceedings follow the
procedure for criminal trials specifically laid down for it in the enabling
enactment creating the tribunal, namely, the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council
(Special Tribunal and Other Matters) Decree, 1979 (A.F.R.C.D. 23). The relevant
provision said to be violated is section 5 (1) thereof and it is in the
following terms:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>