THE REPUBLIC vs. STEPHEN KWABENA OPUNI (1ST ACCUSED) SEIDU AGONGO ANDN AGRICULT GHANA LTD (2ND & 3RD ACCUSED/APPELLANTS/APPLICANTS) [2019]DLCA7821

THE REPUBLIC vs. STEPHEN KWABENA OPUNI (1ST ACCUSED) SEIDU AGONGO ANDN AGRICULT... [2019]DLCA7821

Date	2019-04-08
Suit No.	SUIT NO: H3/32/2019
Citation No.	[2019]DLCA7821

P. K. GYAESAYOR JA (PRESIDING)

TANKO AMADU JA

AMA ABUAKWAA GAISIE JA

BENSON NUTSUKPUI FOR APPLICANTS

STELLA OHENE APPIAH (SSA) FOR RESPONDENT

[2019]DLCA7821
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<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>STEPHEN
KWABENA OPUNI<o:p></o:p>(1ST ACCUSED)<o:p></o:p>SEIDU AGONGO
ANDN AGRICULT GHANA LTD<o:p></o:p>(2ND &amp; 3RD
ACCUSED/APPELLANTS/APPLICANTS)<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: H3/32/2019&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: 8TH APRIL, 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>BENSON
NUTSUKPUI FOR APPLICANTS<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">

STELLA
OHENE APPIAH (SSA) FOR 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">

P.
K. GYAESAYOR JA (PRESIDING), TANKO AMADU JA, AMA ABUAKWAA 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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div>GYAESAYOR,
JA<o:p></o:p>This is a repeat application seeking a Stay of proceedings
in a criminal trial which is ongoing at the High Court, Accra. The Applicants, are
second and third persons being tried for various offences in the High Court.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In the course of the trial, the Appellants/Applicants
sought to tender certain documents through the 2nd Prosecution
witness one Dr. Alfred Arthur (PW2).<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>An objection was raised by the Director of Public
Prosecution for various reasons amongst which is the fact that Dr. Alfred
Arthur is the witness for the prosecution and that it is not appropriate for
them to tender the document through him and further that he is not the author
of the document or a member of the committee set up to investigate the loss of
that document. Furthermore, that the document sought to be tendered had nothing
to do with the trial.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On the other hand, the Applicant argued that the document
sought to be tendered is in the official custody of Cocoa Research Institute of
Ghana (CRIG) where the witness works and that being so he can testify on it. It
was also argued that the document will clarify the issues in controversy as to
the nature of the chemical in question.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The learned trial judge in his ruling dated the 25th
February, 2019 refused the application on the grounds that;<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>‘I must state that although PW2 is an
official from CRIG he has not been served (and noticed) sic to testify as to
the document in that capacity and in any case he was neither a party nor
appeared before that Committee and or testified. I think that it would be most
unfair to tender the document through the witness who does not know anything
about the document’<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>