NASHIRU BABA @ COBBEE & ANOR. vs. THE REPUBLIC [2015]DLHC3556

Date	2015-12-02
Suit No.	SUIT NO.D15/50/14
Citation No.	[2015]DLHC3556

HER LADYSHIP ANGELINA MENSAH-HOMIAH (MRS.) JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

KWAME OWUSU SEKYERE FOR APPELLANTS.

CECILIA ANIMA PEPRAH (ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY) FOR REPUBLIC.

[2015]DLHC3556
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >NASHIRU BABA @ COBBEE
&amp; ANOR.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; vs.<o:p></o:p>THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH COURT (COMMERCIAL
DIVISION), KUMASI]<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">

SUIT NO.D15/50/14&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 2ND DECEMBER, 2015<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>KWAME OWUSU SEKYERE FOR
APPELLANTS.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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HER
LADYSHIP ANGELINA MENSAH-HOMIAH (MRS.) JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>The
two appellants herein were arraigned before the Kumasi Circuit Court where they
were convicted on their own guilty plea and sentenced to seven (7) years
imprisonment with hard labour on the following charges:<o:p></o:p>COUNT 1<o:p></o:p>STATEMENT
OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>Conspiracy
to commit crime; contrary to section 23(1) of Act 29/60<o:p></o:p>PARTICULARS
OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>1.
NASHIRU BABA a.k.a. COBBEE, NIGHT WATCHMAN, AGED 34 YEARS, 2. BARNABAS
KUUKALOR, NIGHT WATCHMAN, AGED 23; for that you, on the 5th &nbsp;day of September, 2013, at 2:00am, at
Nyhiaeso, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region and within the jurisdiction of this
court, did agree to act together with common purpose to commit crime to wit;
stealing.<o:p></o:p>COUNT TWO<o:p></o:p>STATEMENT
OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>STEALING:
contrary to section 12491) of Act 29/60.&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>PARTICULARS
OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp; NASHIRU BABA a.k.a. COBBEE, NIGHT WATCHMAN,
AGED 34 YEARS, 2. BARNABAS KUUKALOR, NIGHT WATCHMAN, AGED 23; For that you , on
same day, time and&nbsp; place&nbsp; as aforementioned in the Ashanti Region and
within the jurisdiction of this court , did steal 30 crates of canned soft
drinks valued at GH¢ 960.00; 10 crates of fox beer valued at GH¢ 550.00; 20
boxes of energy drinks valued at GH¢ &nbsp;2,400.00; two gas cylinders&nbsp; valued at GH¢ 700.00 and six emptied rubber
containers valued GH¢ &nbsp;30.00; all valued
at GH¢ 4, 640.00 the property of one Phyllis Ofori.<o:p></o:p>The
sole ground of appeal contained in the petition is that "The seven years
sentence imposed on first offenders were harsh." <o:p></o:p>When
the case came up on 02/11/2015, the court observed that a hearing notice had
been served on the Attorney General's Department, Kumasi but without the record
of proceedings. Thus, on 09/11/2015, an Assistant State Attorney who had
personal conduct of the case was given a copy of the record of proceedings in
open court, since their copy for service was still on the docket.&nbsp; The case was subsequently adjourned to
17/11/2015, but when the case was called on that day, the said Assistant State
Attorney was absent without reason. Therefore, the court proceeded to hear the
submissions of counsel for the appellants.<o:p></o:p>In
condemning the sentence, counsel for the appellants said his clients who were
convicted on 09/09/13 are first offenders. Counsel prayed the court to exercise
its discretion by reducing the sentences imposed on them as first offenders.&nbsp; He urged the court to consider the fact that
the Appellants have regretted their actions and have been of good conduct in
the prisons. <o:p></o:p>The
punishment for the offence of stealing under section 124 of the Criminal and
Other offences Act, 1960, Act 29 is a term of imprisonment not exceeding 25
years.( See section 296(5) of the Criminal and Other offences procedure Act,
1960, Act 30). A trial judge has a discretion in passing sentence depending on
the gravity of a particular offence, and the existence or non-existence of any
mitigating factors.&nbsp; Second, the court in
passing sentence must consider the purpose which it intends to achieve. Thus,
in Frimpong alias Iboman v The Republic,(2012) SCGLR 297, the Supreme Court
</main>