OWUSU BANAHENE, PHILIP ACHINA DANKWA AND NANA AKWASI ANNOR vs. THE REPUBLIC [2013]DLCA8127

Date	2013-06-25
Suit No.	CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.: H2/03/2012
Citation No.	[2013]DLCA8127

AYEBI J.A. (PRESIDING)

IRENE DANQUAH (MRS.) J.A.

TANKO AMADU J.A.

MR. K. K. SEY FOR THE DEFT/APPELLANT

MR. K. ADDO ATUAH FOR THE PLT/RESPONDENT

[2013]DLCA8127
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >OWUSU BANAHENE, PHILIP ACHINA DANKWA AND NANA AKWASI ANNOR<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<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;
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CRIMINAL
APPEAL NO.: H2/03/2012&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;DATE: 25TH
JUNE, 2013<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
K. K. SEY FOR THE DEFT/APPELLANT<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">

MR.
K. ADDO ATUAH FOR THE PLT/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:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

AYEBI
J.A. (PRESIDING), IRENE DANQUAH (MRS.) J.A., TANKO AMADU J.A.<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;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>AYEBI J.A.<o:p></o:p>On 28th October 2008, the three
appellants were charged before a Kumasi High Court on charges of conspiracy to
steal and stealing.&nbsp; In count one, it was
stated that the appellants between 2001 and 2008 did act together with a common
purpose in committing an offence, to wit stealing contrary to sections 23(1)
and 124 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) as amended.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In count 2, it was recited that between 2001 and
2008, the three appellants stole quantities of iron rods and other building materials
worth GH¢2,050,000 (two million and fifty thousand Ghana cedis) the property of
Iron Birds Company Ltd. contrary to s.124 of Act 29/60.&nbsp; Similarly in count 3, all the three
appellants were charged with stealing 19 tons of iron rods, the property of
Iron Birds Company Ltd., Kumasi.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The third appellant Nana Akwasi Annor, alone in
four other counts was charged with stealing various sums of money (belonging to
Iron Birds Company Ltd.) which he collected on behalf of Iron Birds Company
Ltd. from some customers and pocketed contrary to s.124 of Act 29/60.&nbsp; Thus in count 4, third appellant was charged
with stealing an amount of GH¢5,000.00 he collected from F. Dotch Consult; in
count 5, the amount is GH¢2,680.00 which he collected from Isaac Baidoo, a manager
at Suame Branch of Cal Merchant Bank; in count 6, the amount involved is
GH¢3,000.00 which he collected from one Frank Asiedu Boadi and in count 7, the
amount is GH¢1,800.00 and was meant for the payment for chippings Iron Birds
Company Ltd. purchased.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On their arraignment, the 1st and 2nd
appellants who were present, pleaded not guilty to the charges in counts 1 to 3
against them.&nbsp; At the time, the 3rd
appellant was at large and was being tried in absentia.&nbsp; In course of the trial, 3rd
appellant was arrested and the trial continued after he was furnished with the
record of proceedings and the witnesses were recalled for 3rd
appellant to cross-examine them.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In an eighty-five (85) page judgment, the trial
judge convicted the appellants.&nbsp; He
sentenced the 1st appellant to 20 years I.H.L., the 2nd
appellant to 10 years I.H.L., and the 3rd appellant to 15 years
I.H.L.&nbsp; Dissatisfied with the judgment,
the appellants appealed against it on two grounds themselves.&nbsp; The grounds are:<o:p></o:p>(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
evidence adduced does not support the judgment.<o:p></o:p>(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
court erred when it convicted the appellants.<o:p></o:p>Later additional grounds were filed, this time by
counsel for the appellants as follows:<o:p></o:p>