MUNKAILA vs. THE REPUBLIC [1996]DLSC584

Date	1996-07-23
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1996]DLSC584

AIKINS JSC

EDWARD WIREDU JSC

CHARLES HAYFRON-BENJAMIN JSC

ADJABENG JSC

AKUFFO JSC

F K QUARTEY FOR THE APPELLANT.

J C AMONOO-MONNEY AG DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS FOR THE REPUBLIC.

[1996]DLSC584
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">MUNKAILA<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">vs.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

[1995-96] 1 GLR 367&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 23 JULY 1996<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>F K
QUARTEY FOR THE APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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J C AMONOO-MONNEY, AG DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS, 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:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

AIKINS, EDWARD WIREDU, CHARLES
HAYFRON-BENJAMIN, ADJABENG AND AKUFFO JJSC<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">The appellant was convicted by the
National Public Tribunal, Accra on 26 April 1993 on charges of (a) importation
of narcotic drugs contrary to section 1(1) of the Narcotic Drugs (Control,
Enforcement and Sanctions) Law, 1990 (PNDCL 236) and possession of narcotic
drugs contrary to section 2(1) and (2) of PNDCL 236. He was convicted together
with one Fatima Akinyemi who did not appeal against her conviction or sentence.
The appellant was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment with hard labour on both
counts and a fine of ¢2 million or in default six years’ imprisonment with hard
labour. The sentences were to run concurrently.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Dissatisfied with his conviction
and sentence, he appealed to the Court of Appeal which confirmed the conviction
but allowed the appeal against the sentence of fine imposed upon him. Still
dissatisfied with both the conviction and the sentence, he has appealed to this
court on the grounds that:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 7.5pt 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">(a).&nbsp;&nbsp;“The judgment of the court is not
supported having regard to the evidence.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 7.5pt 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">(b).&nbsp;&nbsp;The court misdirected itself on
serious points of law.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 5pt 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">(c).&nbsp;&nbsp;The trial is a nullity having
regard to the inconsistencies in the composition of the panel.”<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">We are not convinced of the
correctness of all the arguments put forward by his counsel on his behalf. His
attack on the propriety of the charge against him under section 2(2) of PNDCL 236
for the simple reason that that subsection is the penalty provision of the Law
is baseless. The appellant was charged under both section 2 (1) and (2) of
PNDCL 236; section 2(1) creates the offence with which he was charged. Merely
adding section 2 (2) of PNDCL 236 does not detract from the effect of section 2
(1) of PNDCL 236. Section 2 (2) of PNDCL 236 only reminded the tribunal of the
penalty to be awarde</main>