THE REPUBLIC vs. VICTOR AFRIFA [2015]DLCA8408

Date	2015-10-28
Suit No.	SUIT NO: H2/13/2015
Citation No.	[2015]DLCA8408

ADJEI JA – PRESIDING

CECILIA H. SOWAH JA

J. B. BENSON J

APPELLANT IN PERSON

MRS. EMILY ADDO OKYIRE (CSA) WITH HER IS EMMANUEL OPARE WIREDU (ASA) FOR THE RESPONDENT

[2015]DLCA8408
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<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>VICTOR AFRIFA<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, KOFORIDUA]<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: H2/13/2015&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 28TH OCT, 2015<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>APPELLANT IN PERSON<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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MRS. EMILY ADDO
OKYIRE (CSA) WITH HER IS EMMANUEL OPARE WIREDU (ASA) 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;
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ADJEI JA – PRESIDING,
CECILIA H. SOWAH JA, J. B. BENSON J<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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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 dissatisfied with his conviction and
sentence by the High Court Koforidua filed an appeal against both conviction
and sentence on 11th April, 2013. The appellant was convicted for
the offence of use of offensive weapon contrary to Section 70 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The jury panel returned an unanimous verdict of guilty after which the
appellant was convicted and sentenced to 8 years I.H.L.<o:p></o:p>The petition of appeal contained two main grounds
of appeal namely;<o:p></o:p>“1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That
the trial High Court Judge did not adequately direct the jury on the evidence
and that occasioned a miscarriage of justice.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
sentence is harsh and excessive having regard to the circumstances of the
case”.<o:p></o:p>The appellant indicated in his petition of appeal that
he would file additional grounds of appeal and he did file three (3) additional
grounds of appeal on 18th December, 2013. The additional grounds of
appeal are as follows:<o:p></o:p>“1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
trial High Court Judge misdirected the jury, which misdirection occasioned
substantial miscarriage of justice to the appellant;<o:p></o:p>Particulars of misdirection
<o:p></o:p>a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; His
Lordship the High Court Judge misdirected the jury by stating that for defence
of self-defence, to avail the appellant, the jury have to consider degree of
injuries inflicted on the victim, contrary to position of the law that it is
whether the act was done in self-defence, not whether the act went farther than
was necessary in self-defence;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; His
Lordship the High Court Judge misdirected the jury in the summing-up that it is
only when appellant’s life was in danger that he could use force to defend
himself;<o:p></o:p>c.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; His
Lordship the High Court Judge further misdirected the jury in the summing-up by
the use of the following phraseology which created prejudice in the minds of
the jury, thereby prejudging the case in favour of the prosecution as against
the appellant:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The victim was emphatic that he was not
armed;<o:p></o:p>(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
victim was emphatic that he went to the house alone and unarmed; and <o:p></o:p>