FRANCIS KWAME DEMU (APPELLANT) vs. THE REPUBLIC (RESPONDENT) [2019]DLCA7765

Date	2019-02-27
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H2/19/2017
Citation No.	[2019]DLCA7765

ADJEI JA (PRESIDING)

TORKORNOO JA

GAISIE JA

EFFA DEDE ESQ. FOR THE APPELLANT

MATHEW AMPONSAH (CSA) WITH HIM AWERE OPANYINYENA SSA FOR THE REPUBLIC RESPONDENT

[2019]DLCA7765
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >FRANCIS KWAME DEMU<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" 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">vs.<o:p></o:p>THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

SUIT
NO. H2/19/2017&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 27TH
FEBRUARY, 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>EFFA
DEDE 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">

MATHEW
AMPONSAH (CSA) WITH HIM AWERE OPANYINYENA SSA FOR THE REPUBLIC RESPONDENT <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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

ADJEI
JA (PRESIDING), TORKORNOO JA, GAISIE JA<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>ADJEI,J.A:<o:p></o:p>The
Appellant herein and one other person, Fuseini Abdullai, were charged with the
offences of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery contrary to sections 23
and 149 of the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 29) (now the Criminal Offences Act)
respectively. It was an indictable trial and at the end of the summing up, the
jurors returned the verdict of guilty for all the three counts. The trial High
Court Judge took into consideration both aggravating and mitigating factors and
sentenced each of the accused persons to 30 years imprisonment on each count to
run concurrently.<o:p></o:p>The
Appellant herein, who was the first accused person before the trial High Court,
was convicted of all the three counts, namely: two counts of conspiracy to
commit robbery and one count of robbery.<o:p></o:p>The
Appellant did not appeal against the decision of the trial High Court, Ho
within the one month period provided by law. Section 11(6) of the Courts Act,
1993 (Act 459) which governs criminal appeals from the High Court to the Court
of Appeal requires an aggrieved party who desires to appeal against a criminal
decision of the High Court to give notice of appeal or notice of an
application, for leave to appeal within one month of the decision appealed
against. <o:p></o:p>Section
11(7) of the Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459) further makes provision for extension
of time after the one month period prescribed by section 11(6) has expired. The
extension of time to appeal against a decision of the High Court to the Court
of Appeal is not time bound as pertains in civil matters&nbsp; and may, therefore, be&nbsp; filed&nbsp;
at anytime&nbsp; until it becomes
otiose. Jurisdiction to grant extension of time to appeal against a judgment of
the High Court is conferred on the High Court and the Court of Appeal. The
application may be granted in part or whole or dismissed depending on the facts
deposed to in the supporting affidavit.<o:p></o:p>Section
11(6) and (7) of the Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459) &nbsp;which regulates criminal appeals from the High
Court to the Court of Appeal provides thus:<o:p></o:p>“6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Where
a party desires to appeal to the Court of Appeal in a criminal case, that party
shall give notice of appeal&nbsp; or notice of
an application for leave to appeal within one month of the decision appealed
against.<o:p></o:p>7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Court
of Appeal or the Court whose decision&nbsp; is
appealed against, may extend the time, specified in subsection (6)”.<o:p></o:p>The
High Court convicted the Appellant on 27th August, 2003 and the
Appellant had the right&nbsp; to appeal
against both conviction and sentence within one&nbsp;
month thereof, that&nbsp; is by 26th
September, 2003. Where the Appellant fails&nbsp;
to make use of the&nbsp; one month
period provided&nbsp; by the Courts Act, 1993 (Act
459) the appellant shall thereafter derive his right of appeal from the
court&nbsp; which may be refused, granted in
part or whole. The law is that an appeal is a creature of statute and where it
has not been created it cannot be exercised by a person aggrieved by a decision.
Furthermore, where a statute provides for a time frame within which to appeal,
a person seeking to benefit from the&nbsp; right
of appeal shall file his&nbsp; appeal&nbsp; within the time specified.<o:p></o:p>The
Appellant&nbsp; did not file his</main>