THE REPUBLIC vs. GABRIEL DIMADO AND 10 OTHERS [2014]DLHC4199

Date	2014-07-31
Suit No.	CASE NO. FTRM 135/11
Citation No.	[2014]DLHC4199

HIS LORDSHIP MR JUSTICE P. BRIGHT MENSAH

[2014]DLHC4199
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>GABRIEL DIMADO AND 10
OTHERS<o:p></o:p>HIGH
COURT (FINANCIAL DIVISION), ACCRA<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">

CASE NO. FTRM 135/11&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: 31ST JULY,
2014<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HIS
LORDSHIP MR JUSTICE P. BRIGHT MENSAH<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;line-height:115%;
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solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>Fourteen
(14) persons were initially charged and arraigned before this court for various
offences.&nbsp; At the close of the case for
the Prosecution and pursuant to a Ruling delivered on 18/02/2013, 3 Accused
persons, namely: A7 – RocksonApeadu; A9 – L/Cpl Isaac KwakuAsareDarko and A14 –
Kofi Aboagyewere acquitted and discharged for lack of evidence.&nbsp; The court held that the Prosecution has been
unable to establish a prima facie case against them.&nbsp; Consequently, the other 11 Accused persons
were called upon to enter into their defence.&nbsp;
It is of great relief that the marathon trial has come to an end and I
now set out to deliver my judgment<o:p></o:p>The
other Accused persons herein standing trial have pleaded not guilty to8 counts
of Abetment of crime ie Unlawful exportation of cocoa contrary to Ss 20(1) and
317(1)(g) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and 5 counts of
Corruption by public officer contrary to S 239(1) of Act 29. <o:p></o:p>S.20(1)
of Act 29 enacts:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“A person who, directly or indirectly,
instigates, commands, counsels, procures, solicits, or in any other manner
purposely aids, facilitates, encourages, or promotes, whether by a personal act
or presence or otherwise, and a person who does an act or the purposes of
aiding, facilitating, encouraging, or promoting the commission of a criminal
offence by another person, whether known or unknown, certain, or uncertain,
commits the criminal offence of abetting that criminal offence, and of abetting
that other person in respect of that criminal offence.”<o:p></o:p>The
law also provides in S. 317(1)(g) of Act 29 as follows:-<o:p></o:p>“A person who exports or attempts to
export cocoa contrary to the Customs, Excise and Preventive (Management) Law,
1993 (PNDC L 330) (which relates to the exportation of restricted or prohibited
goods) commits a misdemeanour……….”<o:p></o:p>S.239(1)
of Act 29 also provides:-<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“A public officer or juror who commits
corruption, or willful oppression, or extortion, in respect of the duties of
office, commits a misdemeanour.”<o:p></o:p>The
particulars of offences as contained in the charge sheet are as follows:<o:p></o:p>COUNT
1<o:p></o:p>PARTICULARS
OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>(ABETMENT
OF CRIME)<o:p></o:p>Gabriel
Dimado, Stephen SowahQuaye, between January 2010 and March 2010, at Kunkumso in
the Western region did abet members of the Tiger Eye PI team to unlawfully
export cocoa to Cote D’Ivoire.<o:p></o:p>COUNT
2<o:p></o:p>PARTICULARS
OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>ABETMENT
OF CRIME)<o:p></o:p>William
Festus Yawson, Frederick Kofiabley, between January 2010 and March 2010, at
Bioso border in the Western Region did abet members of the Tiger Eye PI team to
unlawfully export cocoa to Cote D’Ivoire.<o:p></o:p>COUNT
3<o:p></o:p>PARTICULARS
OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>ABETMENT
OF CRIME)<o:p></o:p>Prosper
Edze, Eric AppeaduRockson, between January 2010 and March, 2010 near the Boiso
border in the Western region did abet members of the Tiger Eye PI team to unlawfully
export cocoa to Cote D’Ivoire.<o:p></o:p>COUNT
4<o:p></o:p>PARTICULARS
OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>ABETMENT
OF CRIME)<o:p></o:p>Adolf
NiiArmah, between January 2010 and March 2010 at Ellanda Wharf Post in the
Western region did abet members of the Tiger Eye PI team to unlawfully export
cocoa to Cote D’Ivoire.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>COUNT
5<o:p></o:p>PARTICULARS
OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>(ABETMENT
OF CRIME)<o:p></o:p>James
</main>