[2016]DLCA4664 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#00B0F0">THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#00B0F0">GODSWAY DZOMATSI<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">(APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in; mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">CRIMINAL APPEAL SUIT NO: H2/13/15 18<sup>TH</sup> FEBRUARY 2016<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma">MR. OLIVER ATSU ABADA FOR THE APELLANT<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">MARINA APPIAH-OPARE (MRS.) PSA FOR THE REPUBLIC <o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">CORAM:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma">KANYOKE JA (PRESIDING), ACQUAYE JA, DZAMEFE JA<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt; border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;border-right:none; padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">DZAMEFE, JA<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The appellant was charged with the offence of possessing narcotic drug without lawful authority; contrary to Section 2(1) of the Narcotic Drugs (Control, Enforcement and Sanctions) Law 1990 PNDC L236.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The particulars are that the appellant on or about the 15<sup>th</sup> of March 2012 at Wlitey Customs & Excise check point near Akatsi in the Volta Region and within the jurisdiction of the High Court, did have in his possession eleven (11) slabs and a small parcel of compressed dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, a narcotic drug without lawful authority. The quantity was 9,403 grams.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">Facts<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The facts as given by Prosecution are that the accused is a computer technician resident at Kpando in the Volta region. On 15/03/12, officials of Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) intercepted an Opel saloon private car loaded with passengers at Wlitey on the Tadzewu-Akatsi motor road. A search conducted in the vehicle which was travelling from Dzodze to Akatsi led to the discovery of a “Ghana Must Go” bag containing eleven (11) slabs and a small parcel of compressed dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, a narcotic drug. The accused who was one of the passengers claimed ownership of the bag. He was arrested and handed over to the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) for investigation. Accused told NACOB investigators that the bag was given to him in Kpando by one Joe alias Kelli to be delivered to an unknown person at Akatsi. Accused was escorted to Kpando but he could not assist in arresting the said Joe alias Kelli as he could not identify his house. Enquiries in Kpando revealed that the last time Joe, who is not a native, was seen in the town was in year 2000. The exhibit substance was forwarded to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) for analytical examination and report.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">Prosecution to make its case called three witnesses. Messers Michael Gaogli and Jerryking Boakye, both officials of CEP and Samuel Amankwa the police investigator.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">Prosecution’s case simply was that on 15<sup>th</sup> March 2012 at a custom check point at Wlitey, between Akatsi and Dzodze a taxi was stopped and inspected. A “Ghana must go” bag was found in the booth containing 11 slabs of Indian hemp which the appellant claimed to be his. He was arrested and he told them the bag and the contents were given him by one Joe at the Kpando lorry park to be given to someone in Akatsi. He was handed over to Nacob and after all investigations was charge with the offence.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The appellant in his defence said he is a computer technician living in Kpando. That on 15<sup>th</sup> March 2012 he was travelling to Akatsi. At the lorry park in Kpando one Joe came to plead with him to deliver a “Ghana Must go bag” to someone in Akatsi. On the way their vehicle was intercepted by the Customs officials. The bag was searched and it contained Indian hemp. He admitted ownership of the bag and he was arrested and after all investigations he was charged with the offence. He told the court the bag belongs to Joe and that he was just assisting him and also denied knowing the contents of the bag. He called one witness Philip Amuzu, the Kpando lorry station master, who testified to the effect that he saw someone brought that bag to the station to the driver.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">At the end of the trial, the trial court found as a fact that from the evidence at the time of the arrest, the accused was in physical possession of the cannabis sativa which was admitted in evidence as Exhibit E, E1-E11 weighing 9.400 grams as per Exhibit 3. [Page 116 ROA].<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The court also held that the evidence of the accused that the bag was handed over to the driver cannot be true, or else the driver would have examined the contents of the bag before charging Joe any fare. The court also found as a fact that the accused in his statement to police stated that when he arrived in Dzodze he went to his family house for a meeting from 9.00am to 1.30pm, that is about four hours and it will therefore be strange to return to the lorry station to meet the same Kpando driver for him to place the bag again into the taxi he boarded from Dzodze to Akatsi. [Page 112 ROA].<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSp