KARIM FULANI AND PETER ANING vs. THE REPUBLIC [2015]DLCA8050

Date	2015-12-22
Suit No.	CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.: H2/07/2015
Citation No.	[2015]DLCA8050

E.K.AYEBI J.A. (PRESIDING)

G.TORKORNOO (MRS) J.A.

A.M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS.) J.A.

MRS. MARGARET MARY ADJEI TWUMFOR THE APPELLANT

MARIE-LOUISE SIMMONS SSA FOR THE RESPONDENT

[2015]DLCA8050
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >KARIM FULANI AND PETER ANING<o:p></o:p>(2ND
ACCUSED/APPELLANT)<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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.: H2/07/2015&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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 DECEMBER, 2015<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MRS. MARGARET MARY ADJEI TWUMFOR THE 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">

MARIE-LOUISE SIMMONS
SSA FOR THE 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">

E.K.AYEBI J.A.
(PRESIDING), G.TORKORNOO (MRS) J.A., A.M.
DOMAKYAAREH (MRS.) 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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>A. M. DOMAKYAAREH(MRS), J. A&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The appellant as second accused (A2) was
charged together with one other (Karim Fulani – A1) on two counts of conspiracy
to commit robbery contrary to Section 23(1) and 149 of the Criminal and Other
Offences Act 1960, Act 29 as amended by Act 646 of 2003.&nbsp; They were arraigned before the High Court,
Kumasi for trial.&nbsp; They pleaded Not
Guilty.&nbsp; The prosecution therefore had
the burden of leading evidence to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt as
required by law.&nbsp; This is prescribed
under Section 11 (2) of the Evidence
Act, 1975 (NRCD 323) which states as follows: -<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">“Burden
of producing evidence<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">11
(1) …<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (2) In a criminal action, the burden of
producing evidence, when it is on the prosecution as to a fact which is
essential to guilt, requires the prosecution to produce sufficient evidence so
that on the totality of the evidence a reasonable mind could find the existence
of the fact beyond a reasonable doubt.” (emphasis added).<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp; At the end of
the trial, they were both found guilty on both counts and convicted.&nbsp; They were each sentenced to twenty-five years
Imprisonment with Hard Labour (I.H.L.) on each of the two counts to run
concurrently.&nbsp; The sentences were to take
effect from the day of their arrest.<o:p></o:p>Dissatisfied with both the conviction and the sentence,
Peter Aning the Second accused mounted the instant appeal on seven grounds of
appeal, namely:-<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">1)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
Court erred when it disregarded the testimony of the witness of the 2nd
accused person<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">2)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
sentence was wrong in law and has therefore occasioned miscarriage of justice<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">3)