KPODO KWAKU @ GADEMOR vs. THE REPUBLIC [2015]DLCA8004

Date	2015-12-15
Suit No.	SUIT NO: H2/03/2016
Citation No.	[2015]DLCA8004

ADJEI JA – PRESIDING

MRS. SOWAH JA

MENSAH JA

[2015]DLCA8004
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >KPODO KWAKU @ GADEMOR<o:p></o:p>(ACCUSED/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p>THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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SUIT NO: H2/03/2016&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 15TH DECEMBER, 2015<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;
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ADJEI JA – PRESIDING,
MRS. SOWAH JA, MENSAH JA<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></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>ADJEI, J.A:<o:p></o:p>The Appellant was convicted for conspiracy to
commit crime to wit conspiracy to commit Robbery, and Robbery Contrary to
Sections 23 and 49 of Act 29/60 as amended by Act 646 of 2003 respectively. The
Court convicted the appellant for Robbery on 18th June, 2007 and
sentenced him to 30 years IHL and was to take retrospective effect from 8th
April, 2001, that is, the day that he was remanded by the trial High Court. <o:p></o:p>The charge sheet which set out the offence
preferred against the accused person and the particulars of offence provides as
follows:<o:p></o:p>“Count one: Statement of
offence: Conspiracy to Commit Robbery Contrary to Section 23 (1) and
Section 149 of Act 29 of 19/60 as amended by Act 646 of 2003.<o:p></o:p>Particulars of
Offence:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kwaku
Kpodo alias Gademor, businessman for that you and two others now serving their
prison sentences on or about the 17th August, 2001 at Laklevikorfe
near Denu in the Volta Region and within the jurisdiction of this Court did act
together with a common purpose to commit crime to wit Robbery. <o:p></o:p>“Count Two:
Statement of offence: Robbery Contrary to Section 149 of Act 29/60 as amended
by Act 646 of 2003.<o:p></o:p>Particulars of
Offence:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kwaku
Kpodo alias Gademor, businessman, for that you and two others now serving their
prison sentences on or about the 17th August, 2001 at Laklevikorfe
near Denu in the Volta Region did still one Akai Video Deck and its remote
control and a Sanyo remote control, the properties of one Paulina Dorkenu and
for the purpose of stealing the items above caused harm to one Josephine
Agblevoe with intent to prevent here resistance to your stealing of the items”.<o:p></o:p>The accused person pleaded “Not Guilty” and the
case proceeded to trial. The Appellant was sentenced to 30 years I.H.L on both
Courts. The Appellant dissatisfied with the sentence has appealed to this court
to reduce it. According to the Appellant, the sentence of 30 years imposed on
him is harsh and this Court should reduce same. <o:p></o:p>We shall first address the legal effect of the
sentence of 30 years imposed on the appellant on 18th July, 2007 and
was to take retrospective effect from 8th April, 2001. The law is
that, where a person who is convicted of an offence spends a period of time in
lawful custody before the completion of his trial, the period that he spent
whilst in lawful custody shall be taken into accounts in imposing the term of
imprisonment. It is mandatory for every court to take into consideration the
period spent by an accused person who was in lawful custody before the
completion of his term. It is a mitigating factor which must be considered when
imposing an appropriate sentence on an accused person who spent time in lawful
custody being prison or police custody before the completion of the trial. The
mandatory provision is contained in Article 14 (6) of the Constitution of
Ghana, 1992.<o:p></o:p>Article 14 (6) of the Constitution of Ghana, 1992 provides thus: <o:p></o:p>“Where a person is convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment
for an offence, any period he has spent in lawful custody in respect of that
offence before the completion of his trial shall be taken into account in imposing
the term of imprisonment”.<o:p></o:p>The issue as to how the compliance of Article 14 (6)
should take was discussed by the Supreme Court in the case of </main>