ARDU MOHAMMADU vs. THE REPUBLIC [2016]DLCA8444

Date	2016-10-26
Suit No.	SUIT NO: H2/09/2015
Citation No.	[2016]DLCA8444

ADJEI JA – PRESIDING

SOWAH JA

MENSAH JA

ISAAC MILLS ESQ FOR THE APPELLANT

MRS. EMILY ADDO OKYIRE (CSA) FOR THE RESPONDENT

[2016]DLCA8444
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ARDU MOHAMMADU<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANT/APPELLANT)<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;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">vs.<o:p></o:p>THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT)<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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

SUIT NO: H2/09/2015&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;DATE: 26TH OCT, 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>ISAAC MILLS ESQ FOR THE APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

MRS. EMILY ADDO
OKYIRE (CSA) FOR THE RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div><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;;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">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,
SOWAH JA, MENSAH JA<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;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>ADJEI,
J.A:<o:p></o:p>This
is an appeal against the judgment in appeal delivered by the High Court Nkawkaw
on 16th January, 2015.<o:p></o:p>The
brief facts of the case were that the appellant herein was arraigned before the
Circuit Court Mpraeso for the offences of stealing contrary to section 124(1)
of Act 29/60 and threat of death contrary to Section 75 of Act 29/60. The
accused person is the son of the complainant in the criminal suit before the
trial Circuit Court. According to the facts as presented before the trial
Circuit Court, the accused person stole two cows from his father’s kraal and
sold them in the presence of other people. The accused person threatened to
kill anyone who would disclose to the complainant that he stole the cows and
sold. Unfortunate for the accused person, one of the persons who were present
when the complainant sold the cows informed the complainant. When the accused
person heard that the complainant had heard that he stole the two cows called
the complainant on telephone and threatened to kill him.<o:p></o:p>The
trial Circuit Court convicted the accused person on his own plea and sentenced
him to ten years imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) on each count and the
sentence were to run concurrently.<o:p></o:p>The
appellant dissatisfied with the ten years imprisonment imposed on him appealed
to the High Court Nkawkaw against both conviction and sentence. The High Court
dismissed both conviction and sentence and said that sentences were not harsh
and will not interfere with the discretion duly exercised by the trial Circuit
Court.<o:p></o:p>The
appellant appealed against the judgment by the High Court which affirmed the
decision of the trial Circuit Court delivered on 13th February, 2015.
The two grounds of appeal filed by the appellant are as follows:<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; “1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That
the High Court judge failed to consider adequately the submission made by
Counsel for the appellant on the conviction of the appellant and<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; 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That the sentence imposed is harsh and
&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; excessive”.<o:p></o:p>There
was an indication to file an additional grounds of appeal but was not filed. <o:p></o:p>We
would like to comment on the first ground of appeal which is to the effect that
the High Court Judge failed to consider adequately the submission by Counsel
for the appellant on the conviction of the appellant. The ground of appeal is
vague and ordinarily should have been struck out. A ground of appeal shall be
specific as to which part of the judgment is to be attacked and the only exception
is&nbsp; the &nbsp;omnibus ground in criminal appeal that is the
judgment is unreasonable or cannot be supported having regard to the
evidence&nbsp; on record. The ground upon which
an appeal may be allowed on the grounds that a substantial miscarriage of
justice has been occasioned is governed by Section 31 of the Courts Act, 1993
(Act 459). It provides thus:<o:p></o:p>