EMMANUEL AYIKU vs. THE REPUBLIC [2015]DLCA8007

Date	2015-01-22
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H2/15/2014
Citation No.	[2015]DLCA8007

KANYOKE J.A (PRESIDING)

OFOE J.A

WELBOURNE J.A

KOBINA FOSU FOR APPELLANT

MRS. YVONNE ATAKORA OBUOBISA

PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE REPUBLIC

[2015]DLCA8007
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >EMMANUEL AYIKU<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" 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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">SUIT
NO. H2/15/2014&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 22ND JANUARY, 2015<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>KOBINA FOSU 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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MRS. YVONNE
ATAKORA OBUOBISA, PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE REPUBLIC<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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KANYOKE J.A
(PRESIDING), OFOE J.A, WELBOURNE J.A<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;
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</div>OFOE J.A:-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>I want to preface this judgment with a quote
from the submission of the prosecutor from the Attorney General’s office.<o:p></o:p>“Respectfully, your
Lordships, I must submit that this was a case strenuously prosecuted by the
Attorney General for which a judgment was given in our favour. As an attorney
from the same chambers, my place would be to defend the hard won judgment.
However my Lords, that is where my difficulty arises as I have gone over the
records and judgment several times and find no basis for both the prosecution
of the case as well as the judgment given by His Lordship Quist in the case. I am
guided by the ethics of our profession as well as the prosecutors code to argue
this appeal and ask that your Lordship allow the appeal on the same grounds as
set out by the appellant”.<o:p></o:p>Exceedingly gratifying and honourable
decision to make. We would have been surprised if the state had attempted to
defend this judgment. It’s unfortunate and we pray that extra vigilance is
mounted by the Attorney General’s office so as to avoid such slips that
necessarily result in the denial of the freedom of the individual for no just
cause. From the erudite and incisive submission from the state prosecutor, Mrs.
Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, in defence of the appellant we think much ink need not
be spilt in coming to a decision setting aside the conviction and sentence of
the appellant<o:p></o:p>The appellant, Mr. Emmanuel Ayiku, was on the
26th February 2014 sentenced to a prison term of 11 years by the
trial High Court for the offences of stealing and two counts of defrauding by
false pretences.<o:p></o:p>The facts of the case are that the accused
applied to the Fraga Oil Ghana Ltd(hereinafter referred to as the company) for
financial assistance to complete his filling station in a suburb of Ashiaman.
With the understanding that he will turn over the filling station to the
company to run, he was granted GH¢30,000 and provided with the necessary
equipment needed to run the station. After completion of the station he refused
to hand over the station as agreed. Meanwhile the company had also supplied him
petroleum products worth GH¢250,000. The petroleum products supplied were on
cash and cash basis with payment to be made within 7 days. By refusing to hand
over the filling station to the company the accused had defrauded the company
to the tune of GH¢30,000. The accused person also dishonestly appropriated two
Wayne dispensing pumps belonging to the company. All efforts to retrieve the
pump valued US$15,600 from the accused proved futile. The accused even
threatened one staff of the company wit</main>