ATTORNEY-GENERAL vs. TAGOE [1985]DLSC884

Date	1985-07-29
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1985]DLSC884

APALOO C.J.

SOWAH JSC

ADADE JSC

TAYLOR JSC

FRANCOIS J.S.C.

C.H.A. TETTEY SOLICITOR-GENERAL (WITH HIM MRS ADUSA AMANKWA AND AVAH) FOR THE APPLICANT.

E. D. KOM FOR THE RESPONDENT

[1985]DLSC884
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ATTORNEY-GENERAL <o:p></o:p>

{SUPREME COURT, ACCRA} <o:p></o:p>

[1984-86] 1 GLR 673<o:p></o:p>

DATE:
29 JULY 1985<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">

C.H.A. TETTEY, SOLICITOR-GENERAL (WITH HIM MRS
ADUSA AMANKWA AND AVAH) FOR THE APPLICANT. <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">

APALOO C.J., SOWAH, ADADE, TAYLOR AND FRANCOIS JJ.S.C.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF ADADE J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>Adade
J.S.C. delivered the judgment of the court. By article 217 of the Constitution,
1979, “The transitional provisions specified in the First Schedule to [the]
Constitution shall have effect notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in [the] Constitution” Which implies that the said transitional
provisions are superior to the body of the Constitution and take precedence
over the Constitution. For the purposes of this opinion the relevant provision
of the said transitional provisions are in section 17 (2)-(5) and (7) which
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">“(2) The
Special Tribunal shall also have exclusive jurisdiction to try all criminal
offences disclosed by or arising out of the reports submitted by the committees
of inquiry referred to in the said Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (Special
Tribunal and Other Matters) Decree, 1979 (A.F.R.C.D. 23). (3) The Special
Tribunal shall also have exclusive jurisdiction to review the adverse findings
of the said committees of inquiry on the application of any person aggrieved by
any such finding. (4) Any such committee of inquiry which at the coming into
force of this Constitution has not submitted its report to the Armed Forces
Revolutionary Council shall, subject to the provisions of the said Armed Forces
Revolutionary Council (Special Tribunal and Other Matters) Decree, 1979
(A.F.R.C.D. 23) continue in existence until the submission of its reports. (5)
Sections 10 and 11 of this Schedule shall not apply to any such committee of
inquiry ... (7) The provisions of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council
(Special Tribunal and Other Matters) Decree, 1979 (A.F.R.C.D. 23) shall have
effect notwithstanding anything contained in this Constitution to the
contrary.”<o:p></o:p>The
Huppenbauer Committee of Inquiry was appointed by the Armed Forces
Revolutionary Council in 1979 by E.I. 38, whose full title is the Committee of
Inquiry (Recent Disturbances in the Police Force) Instrument, 1979 (E.I. 38).
This instrument went through a series of amendments. The committee submitted
three interim reports in August, 23 September and 29 November 1979, and a last
and final report on 8 January 1980. The Constitution of the Third Republic came
into force on 24 September 1979. As will be noticed, the first two interim
reports were submitted during the Government of the Armed Forces Revolutionary
Council; the third interim report and the final report were submitted after the
Armed Forces Revolutionary Council Government, to the Limann Administration.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In the
second interim report, submitted on 23 September 1979, adverse findings were
made against Mr R. A. Tagoe, the respondent herein. The final report obviously
putting together the conclusions in the earlier reports, repeated at page 41
the adverse findings in the second interim report.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Mr Tagoe
has appealed to the Court of Appeal against the adverse findings against him.
He has taken this course under article 198 (2) of the Constitution, 1979 which
provides 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">“(2)
Where a commission of inquiry makes an adverse finding against any person, the
report of the commission of inquiry shall, for the purposes of this
Constitution, be deemed to be a judgment of the High Court of Justice and
accordingly an appeal shall lie as of right from the commission to the Court of
Appeal.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
Attorney-General says that Mr Tagoe has no such right of appeal and accordingly
the Court of Appeal has no jurisdiction to entertain the appeal. He founds
himself on article 217 and section 17 of the transitional provi</main>