DANIEL KWABENA (a.k.a) Kwabena Akyirem vs. THE REPUBLIC [2019]DLHC10096

Date	2019-04-30
Suit No.	CASE NO. CR/244/2019
Citation No.	[2019]DLHC10096

JUSTICE GEORGE BUADI J.

OSMAN MOHADEEN FOR APPELLANT PRESENT

JOYCE DEBRAH (STATE ATTORNEY) WITH AMANDA DORCOO (STATE ATTORNEY) PRESENT FOR REPUBLIC/RESPONDENT

[2019]DLHC10096
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DANIEL KWABENA (a.k.a) Kwabena
Akyirem<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT
(CRIMINAL DIVISION, 5), 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;">

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padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">CASE
NO. CR/244/2019&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;DATE: 30 APRIL 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>OSMAN MOHADEEN FOR
APPELLANT PRESENT<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;">

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padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JOYCE
DEBRAH (STATE ATTORNEY) WITH AMANDA DORCOO (STATE ATTORNEY) PRESENT FOR
REPUBLIC/RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT ON
CRIMINAL APPEAL<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;1.0&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Introduction<o:p></o:p>1.1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A basic condition for parties or
litigants either criminal or civil to proceed to court to prosecute or to defend
a suit is whether they have under their control and possession the evidence the
law requires in the matter to successfully prosecute or defend the action. This
is a criminal appeal by the accused person against the judgment of the Circuit
Court, Kasoa Ofankor dated 9 October 2015<a href="file:///C:/Users/aggie/Desktop/2020-21/Criminal/Daniel%20Kwabena,%20a.k.a,%20Kwabena%20Akyirem%20v%20Rep%20(Appeal)%20(2021_01_25%2010_26_20%20UTC).docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a>
that convicted and sentenced the appellant to 20 years imprisonment in hard
labour based on appellant’s guilty plea. The appellant was arraigned before the
said court charged with the offence of defilement of a girl child, Margaret
Asare, aged 14 contrary to s.101of the
Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). On his first appearance in court, appellant
who was unrepresented by counsel pleaded guilty to the charge. Based on the
guilty plea, the trial court considered its job cut; it proceeded to convict
the appellant based on the guilty plea. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;1.2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The determinative foremost issue in the
appeal is the consideration of the circumstances under which the High Court
shall interfere in a trial circuit court’s conviction and sentencing of accused
person based on the accused’s guilty plea. It is well-settled that presently there
is no statutory inhibition or bar to a person to appeal against his conviction
and sentence by the trial court based on the person’s guilty plea to having
committed the offence for which he had been charged. Indeed, presently,
criminal appeals lie as of right from decisions of the district and circuit
courts to the High Court. See art. 140,
Constitution; section 21, Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459).<a href="file:///C:/Users/aggie/Desktop/2020-21/Criminal/Daniel%20Kwabena,%20a.k.a,%20Kwabena%20Akyirem%20v%20Rep%20(Appeal)%20(2021_01_25%2010_26_20%20UTC).docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="">[2]</a> In terms of
procedure, the appeal is thus well-laid and thus properly before the Court.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;2.0&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Grounds
of the appeal<o:p></o:p>2.1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Despite his guilty plea at the trial
court below, appellant is dissatisfied both with his conviction and sentence. The
appeal was filed pursuant to leave of the Court that was granted on 5 December
2018; that is three years after the decision of the trial Circuit Court, Kasoa.
Appellant describes both his conviction and sentence as “... travesty of
justice.” As I see it, appellant through his counsel prays the Court to set
aside his conviction and sentence and to acquit and discharge him of the charge,
his guilty plea notwithstanding. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;2.2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The appeal is being considered on the
basis of written submissions lawyers in the matter had filed pursuant to orders
of the court.<a href="file:///C:/Users/aggie/Desktop/2020-21/Criminal/Daniel%20Kwabena,%20a.k.a,%20Kwabena%20Akyirem%20v%20Rep%20(Appeal)%20(2021_01_25%2010_26_20%20UTC).docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="">[3]</a> The notice of appeal was
filed in this court on 31 January 2019. Evidently, the record of appeal
comprises a one-page charge sheet, a one-page factsheet of the charge, and a
one-page minutes of proceedings of the trial court on 9 October 2015 that
convicted the appellant.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;