REPUBLIC vs. DIRECTOR OF PRISONS; EX PARTE OHENE-DJAN [1987]DLHC1178

Date	1987-11-27
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1987]DLHC1178

AGYEPONG J.

PETER ADJETEY (WITH HIM D. O. LAMPTEY) FOR THE APPLICANT.

GYEKE-DARKO

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS AND KALEO-BIOH

PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[1987]DLHC1178
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >REPUBLIC <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>DIRECTOR OF PRISONS; EX PARTE OHENE-DJAN<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[1979] GLR 396<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:
27 NOVEMBER 1978<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">

PETER ADJETEY (WITH HIM D. O. LAMPTEY) FOR THE
APPLICANT.<o:p></o:p>

GYEKE-DARKO, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS AND
KALEO-BIOH, PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY, FOR THE RESPONDENT.<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">

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

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF AGYEPONG J.<o:p></o:p>The
applicant herein was on 8 August 1975, convicted of manslaughter of an unknown
man by the High Court, Accra, presided over by Amissah J.A. sitting as an
additional High Court judge, and was on 11 August 1975, sentenced to fifteen
years’ imprisonment with hard labour. At the time of the present application,
the applicant was serving his sentence at Ussher Fort Prison, Accra.<o:p></o:p>The
applicant contends that his conviction is null and void and of no effect;
consequently his sentence of imprisonment and his incarceration at the Ussher
Fort are illegal, and he is therefore entitled to be released under the Habeas
Corpus Act, 1964 (Act 244).<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In
support of his submission that the conviction was a nullity, Mr. Peter Adjetey,
learned counsel for the applicant, on 28 June 1978 urged four main grounds: <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">(1) that the applicant did not
himself plead guilty to the offence of manslaughter; (2) that the Criminal
Procedure Code, 1960 (Act 30), s. 239 <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) Under which the applicant was
convicted of manslaughter could not in law be invoked by the applicant at the
stage the trial had reached, that is, after the close of the case of the
prosecution; <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">(3) The court ought to have
acquitted the applicant first of the offence of murder before convicting him of
the offence of manslaughter; and <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) once the applicant was put in
charge of the jury he could not in law be acquitted or convicted except by the
verdict of the jury, which was not taken in this case. Learned counsel
concluded his submission by contending that the failure of the learned trial
judge to comply with these rules of law or procedure amounted to want of
jurisdiction.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
history of the case culminating in the conviction and sentence of the applicant
is well known: The applicant, a Sunyani legal practitioner, and one Adu Yeboah,
were jointly, charged with the murder of an unknown man at Sunyani. They were,
however, tried at the High Court, Accra, and as previously stated, it was presided
over by Amissah J.A.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On
arraignment on 30 July 1975, both accused persons pleaded not guilty and the
jury were empanelled for the trial. The prosecution closed its case on 6 August
1975 after calling nineteen witnesses and the case was adjourned to 7 August
1975 for the defence to open. On that adjourned date, 7 August 1975, counsel
for the applicant informed the court that his client, the applicant herein,
wanted to avail himself of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1960 (Act 30), s. 239
(2) by pleading “not guilty” of murder but “guilty” of the lesser offence of
manslaughter. Section 239 of Act 30 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">“(1) A
plea of guilty</main>