DICKSON KWADWO MANU vs. THE REPUBLIC [2012]DLCA3118

Date	2012-04-27
Suit No.	NO: H2/01/2012
Citation No.	[2012]DLCA3118

JUSTICE MARIAMA OWUSU JA [PRESIDING]

JUSTICE FRANCIS G KORBIEH JA

JUSTICE IRENE C DANQUAH JA

MUJEEB RAHMAN AHMED ESQR. FOR APPELLANT

OTCHERE ANTWI ESQR. FOR THE REP/RESPONDENT

[2012]DLCA3118
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DICKSON KWADWO MANU<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<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">

NO: H2/01/2012&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:&nbsp; 27TH APRIL, 2012<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MUJEEB RAHMAN AHMED ESQR.
FOR APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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OTCHERE
ANTWI ESQR.&nbsp;&nbsp; FOR THE REP/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>JUSTICE MARIAMA OWUSU JA
[PRESIDING], JUSTICE FRANCIS G KORBIEH JA, JUSTICE IRENE C DANQUAH JA<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none;
mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>JUSTICE
IRENE C DANQUAH JA<o:p></o:p>On 22nd July
2003, at Asafo in Kumasi, Policemen on patrol duty were informed that a man was
off loading what was suspected to be Indian hemp.&nbsp; The Police rushed to the spot and found the
accused sitting with some sacks in front of him.&nbsp; There were fifteen sacks in all.&nbsp; The accused explained that he was
transporting the sacks from Badu in the Brong-Ahafo Region to Accra.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>The Police took the
accused and the sacks to the Drug Law Enforcements Unit where the sacks were
opened and found to contain charcoal and leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.&nbsp; The leaves were sent to the forensic laboratory
which certified the leaves to be positive for cannabis.&nbsp; In his charge caution statement, he denied
the offence.&nbsp; He claimed he was taking
the charcoal to one Maame Korkor.&nbsp; The
accused person was arraigned before the Regional Tribunal, Kumasi and charged
as follows:<o:p></o:p>Statement
of Offence<o:p></o:p>Possessing Narcotic drug
without authority:&nbsp; Section 2 (1) of PNDC Law 236/90.<o:p></o:p>Particulars
of Offence<o:p></o:p>DICKSON
KWADWO MANU:&nbsp; FARMER:&nbsp; for that you on the 22nd day of
July, 2003 at Asafo, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region and within the jurisdiction
of this tribunal, without lawful authority did possess (15) bags of cannabis
weighing 284,991.og.<o:p></o:p>The accused person pleaded
not guilty to the charge.&nbsp; At the trial,
the two Police Officers who allegedly effected the arrest of the accused
testified as prosecution witnesses.&nbsp;
Their testimony was that they arrested the accused with the sacks of
charcoal containing the Indian hemp and that he admitted that he had custody of
the bags at the time of the arrest.&nbsp; They
testified that the accused person offered to give them ¢14million which they
turned down.<o:p></o:p>After the trial, the
Tribunal on 16th November 2004, found the accused person guilty of
the offence charged and convicted him to 20 years in prison with hard
labour.&nbsp; However no reasons were given by
the Tribunal for the conviction and sentence.&nbsp;
The convict, aggrieved by the decision has appealed to this Court
against both the conviction and sentence.&nbsp;
The appeal against the conviction is on the following grounds:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
conviction was given contrary to law and procedure especially on the law
regarding possession of narcotic drugs.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
judgment cannot be supported having regards to the evidence on record.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
Regional Tribunal, Kumasi failed/or refused to adequately consider the case of
the defense or at all.<o:p></o:p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
trial judge erred in convicting the Appellant as the prosecution failed to
proof his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.<o:p></o:p>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
Court was wrong in law when it convicted the Appellant without giving reasons
for same. <o:p></o:p>