PRINCE KOFI AMOABENG vs NANA OTUA SWAYNE, D. S. P. AIDAN DERY AND 2 ORS [2014]DLHC16459

Date	2014-10-20
Suit No.	SUIT NO. HRCM 167/14
Citation No.	[2014]DLHC16459

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE KOFI ESSEL MENSAH

GUSTAV ADDINGTON

E. A. VODOAGU

[2014]DLHC16459
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >PRINCE KOFI AMOABENG<o:p></o:p>(APPLICANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>NANA OTUA SWAYNE, D. S. P. AIDAN
DERY AND 2 ORS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH COURT,
ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;<div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

SUIT NO. HRCM 167/14&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: 20TH OCTOBER, 2014<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>GUSTAV ADDINGTON FOR APPLICANT<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

</div>CORAM <o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE KOFI ESSEL MENSAH<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;Let
me say from the onset that the principal actors in this case, the applicant and
the 1st respondent are very passionate about this case. To each one,
his or her case is strong and solid enough to win the day. <o:p></o:p>While
the 1st respondent feels strongly that she has been done in; and has
been painfully swindled of her inheritance by the applicant and his cohorts and
therefore ought to be prosecuted, the applicant thinks that his conduct cannot
ground an action in crime. Consequently, the applicant is of the view that his
criminal prosecution before the Circuit Court on a charge of: Fraud as to thing
pledged or taken in execution contrary to section 143 of the Criminal Offences
Act 1960 (Act 29) infringes his fundamental human rights.<o:p></o:p>Now,
the two unyielding disputants are before this court seeking justice. A very
heavy load has been placed on my hand to deliver justice. I hope that in this
judgement the truth and nothing but the truth would be told.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;Before
I proceed, I wish to place on record that with the exception of the 1st
respondent, the other respondents did not find it worthwhile to contest the
suit. It is strange that the prosecution having investigated the alleged
criminal conduct of the applicant; and having proceeded to prefer a criminal
charge against him, would decide not to participate in the trial. As a result,
what informed their decision to charge the applicant with the criminal offence
has been withheld from the court. The suit is in essence directly against the
State because it is the State which is in charge of criminal prosecutions in
this country. The reliefs being sought by the applicant is against the State.
For that reason, where a person brings an action to challenge his criminal
prosecution, the State through its law enforcement agencies must defend the
suit. It is unfortunate that I have to decide this case without any input from
the police and the Attorney-General in the face of the very pertinent and
material evidence adduced by the applicant in his affidavits.<o:p></o:p>The
applicant, by the instant application, seeks the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>“&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that the trial of the
applicant before the Accra Circuit Court <o:p></o:p>is an infringement of the applicant’s fundamental
human rights. <o:p></o:p>ii.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
An order of
certiorari to quash all the proceedings and all orders made by the trial Accra
Circuit Court. <o:p></o:p>