THE REPUBLIC vs. ABRAHAM NKONU [2017]DLHC11601

Date	2017-03-08
Suit No.	CC NO ST 02/2014
Citation No.	[2017]DLHC11601

HIS LORDSHIP ALHAJ JUSTICE ABDULLAH IDDRISU

ANNETTE BARNES (FOR THE REPUBLIC)

PAUL ASSIBI ABARIGA (FOR THE ACCUSED)

[2017]DLHC11601
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ABRAHAM NKONU<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<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">CC NO ST 02/2014&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: 8TH MARCH,
2017<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>ANNETTE
BARNES (FOR THE REPUBLIC)<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

PAUL ASSIBI ABARIGA (FOR THE ACCUSED)<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HIS
LORDSHIP ALHAJ JUSTICE ABDULLAH IDDRISU<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" 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:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>The accused person has been
charged with the following offences:<o:p></o:p>COUNT ONE STATEMENT OF
OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>Possession of narcotic drug
without lawful authority Contrary to Section 2 of&nbsp; the Narcotic Drugs (Control. Enforcement and
Sanctions) Act, 1990 PNDCL 236.<o:p></o:p>PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>Abraham Nkonu, on 10th
August 2012, at Somanya in the Eastern Region had in your possession 36, 479.9g
of cannabis a narcotic drug without lawful authority.<o:p></o:p>COUNT TWO STATEMENT OF
OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>Dangerous driving Contrary
to Section 1 (1) (a) (i) of the Road traffic act, 2004 (Act 683 2004) as
amended by Act 761 2008.<o:p></o:p>PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>Abraham Nkonu, on 10th
August 2012, drove a Mitsubishi mini bus with registration number GT 9532-Z at
high speed in an attempt to turn a sharp curve which fell below what is
expected of a competent and careful driver.<o:p></o:p>COUNT THREE STATEMENT OF
OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>Assault Contrary to Section
84 of the Criminal Offence Act 1960 Act 29.<o:p></o:p>PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE<o:p></o:p>Abraham Nkonu, on 10th
August 2012 imprisoned No.32535 G/Sgt. Gabriel&nbsp;
Arthur without his consent by intentionally detaining him in a moving
Mitsubishi Mini Bus with registration number GT 9532-Z.<o:p></o:p>The brief facts of the case
are that on 10th August, 2012, at about 3.00 p.m. personnel from the National
Highway Patrol Unit on the Accra-Asesewa route led by No. 32535 G/Sergeant
Gabriel Arthur conducted a snap check at a section of the road between
Oterkpolu and Odumasi in which they stopped a Mitsubishi mini bus with
registration number GT 9532 Z being driven by suspect Abraham Nkonu with two
others on board for a search. A search in the vehicle revealed that ten (10)
compressed slabs of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis had been concealed
inside a speaker box in the car. During the search process, the suspect sped
off with No. 32535 G/ Sgt. <o:p></o:p>Gabriel Arthur on board the
vehicle. All attempts by the police to apprehend the suspect proved futile up
until he used the side of the vehicle in which No. 32535 G/Sgt. Gabriel Arthur
was seated to hit a tree while attempting to turn a curve. He was as a result
overpowered and arrested. Meanwhile, the two other passengers in the vehicle
with the suspect including his driver’s mate managed to escape. A further
search was conducted in the vehicle and thirty-eight (38) compressed leaves
also suspected to be cannabis was found hidden in the engine compartment. The
suspect was arrested together with the exhibits totaling forty-eight (48) in
number.<o:p></o:p>On the 12th September, 2012
the forty-eight (48) parcels of dried leaves were submitted to the Police
Forensic Laboratory for examination and report. The report dated 17th
September, 2012 confirmed that the leaves were cannabis, a narcotic drug
weighing 36,479.79gm<o:p></o:p>Based on these facts, the
accused was charged with the offences and arraigned before this honourable
court for trial. <o:p></o:p>Definition of Prohibition of
Possession of narcotic drugsSection 2 of the Narcotic Drugs (Control,
Enforcement and Sanctions) Law 1990 PNDCL 236 states:<o:p></o:p>(1) A person who, without
lawful authority the proof of which lies on that person, has possession or
control of a narcotic drug commits an offence.<o:p></o:p>(2) A person found guilty of
an offence under subsection (1) is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment
of not less than ten years.<o:p></o:p>Definition of dangerous
drivingSection 1 of the Road Traffic Act 2004 states:<o:p></o:p>(1) A person who drives a
motor vehicle dangerously on a road commits an offence and is liable to summary
conviction<o:p></o:p>(a) Where <o:p></o:p>(i) a bodily injury does not
occur, or <o:p></o:p>(ii) a minor bodily injury
does occur, to a person, other than the driver, to a fine not less than one
hundred penalty units and not exceeding two hundred penalty units or to a term
of imprisonment not exceeding nine months or to both the fine and the
imprisonment.<o:p></o:p>Definition of</main>