THE REPUBLIC vs. ALFRED AGBESI WOYOME [2016]DLCA4490

Date	2016-03-10
Suit No.	CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. H2/17/2015
Citation No.	[2016]DLCA4490

VICTOR OFOE J.A. (PRESIDING)

FRANCIS KORBIEH J.A.

L. L. MENSAH J.A.

YVONNE A. OBUOBISA (MRS.) FOR THE APPELLANT.

KEN ANKU FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[2016]DLCA4490
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ALFRED AGBESI WOYOME<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;
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CRIMINAL
APPEAL NO. H2/17/2015&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;10TH MARCH 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>YVONNE A. OBUOBISA (MRS.,) FOR THE
APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>VICTOR OFOE J.A. (PRESIDING), FRANCIS
KORBIEH J.A., L. L. MENSAH J.A.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>L.
L. MENSAH, J.A.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>I have read beforehand the erudite
judgment of my brother Ofoe, J.A. and the supporting piece of my brother
Korbieh, J.A. and I also think the appeal should be dismissed.&nbsp; However, I wish to touch on one or two
aspects of the evidence.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The offence with which the Respondent
was charged is a second degree felony.&nbsp;
The prosecution Appellant was enjoined to lead the requisite evidence to
prove the guilt of the accused beyond all reasonable doubts under the purview
of section 11(2) of the Evidence Act (1975) NRCD 323.&nbsp; The Respondent was equally tasked to lead the
requisite evidence to obviate any finding that may establish his guilt, under
section 11(3) of the Evidence Act.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Sections
11(2) and (3) are reproduced hereunder:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>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 (my emphasis).<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>And under
section 11(3) we have:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In a criminal action, the burden of
producing evidence, when it is on the accused as to a fact the converse of
which is essential to guilt, requires the accused to produce sufficient
evidence so that from the totality of the evidence a reasonable mind
could have a reasonable doubt as to guilt (my emphasis).<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Finally under section 22 of the
Evidence Act under rebuttable presumptions, we have the following:-<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In a criminal action, a presumption
operates against the accused as to a fact which is essential to guilt only if
the existence of the basic facts that give rise to the presumption are found or
otherwise established beyond a reasonable doubt, and, in the case of</main>