TWENEBOAH KODUA vs. THE REPUBLIC [2015]DLHC3572

Date	2015-11-18
Suit No.	CASE NO.D/15/112/15
Citation No.	[2015]DLHC3572

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

EMMANUEL AMOAH FOR APPELLANT

ANNA FRANKLINA OTCHERE FOR REPUBLIC

[2015]DLHC3572
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >TWENEBOAH KODUA<o:p></o:p>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;
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CASE NO.D/15/112/15&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 18TH NOVEMBER, 2015<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>EMMANUEL AMOAH 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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ANNA
FRANKLINA OTCHERE FOR 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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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
appellant herein, Tweneboa Kodua, was convicted on 16/06/2015 by the District
Court, Agogo on the following charge: <o:p></o:p>STATEMENT OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>FRAUDULENT TRANSACTION IN
LAND: CONTRARY TO SECTION 34(a) of LAND REGISTRY ACT, 1962.<o:p></o:p>PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>TWENEBOA KODUA:FARMER AGE: 49 YEARS:
For that you, during the month of April 2012 at Agogo in the Asante Akyem
Magisterial District and within the jurisdiction of this court, with intent
to&nbsp; defraud, did obtain the consent of
one Solomon Antwi Bosiako to part with cash the sum of GH¢ 2, 200.00 by means
of certain false pretences to wit; by falsely pretending that if the said
amount is given to you, you could secure him a plot of land and upon such false
representation you succeeded in obtaining the said amount from the said Solomon
Antwi Bosiako which statement you knew at the time of making it to be false.<o:p></o:p>Section
34(a) of the Land Registry Act, 1960 Act 122 reads:<o:p></o:p>34.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Offences for fraudulent transactions<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;A person who knowingly&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; purports to make a grant
of a piece of land to which that person does not have title commits the offence
of a second degree felony and is liable in addition to any other punishment
that may be imposed, to pay an amount of money equivalent to twice the value of
the aggregate consideration received by that person.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Appellant had pleaded guilty with
explanation but, after listening to his explanation, the Magistrate entered a
plea of guilty for him. For no apparent reason, the Magistrate deferred
sentence and remanded him in police custody to re-appear on 18/06/2015 for
sentence. Although the Appellant pleaded for mitigation, the magistrate
proceeded to sentence him to 12 months imprisonment, in addition to refunding
the complainant's money. <o:p></o:p>Aggrieved
by the Sentence, the Appellant filed a petition of Appeal on 25/09/2015.<o:p></o:p>GROUNDS OF APPEAL<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That
the sentence of 12 months IHL in addition to the court's order that appellant
refunds the money collected is excessive and ought to be reduced drastically.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
appellant is a first offender and pleads for drastic reduction in the sentence.<o:p></o:p>I t</main>