RAYMOND AJUWA vs. THE REPUBLIC [2019]DLHC10134

Date	2019-07-08
Suit No.	CASE NO. CR/571/2017
Citation No.	[2019]DLHC10134

JUSTICE GEORGE BUADI J.

MAWUSI KPODO ESQ (HOLDING BRIEF OF DELA BLAGOGEE

ESQ) FOR APPELLANT.

REBECCA ARYEETEY SMITH (STATE ATTORNEY) FOR REPUBLIC/RESPONDENT

[2019]DLHC10134
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >RAYMOND AJUWA<o:p></o:p>(CONVICT/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;">

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MAWUSI KPODO, ESQ
(HOLDING BRIEF OF DELA BLAGOGEE, ESQ) FOR APPELLANT. <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" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">REBECCA
ARYEETEY SMITH (STATE ATTORNEY) FOR REPUBLIC/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>JUSTICE GEORGE
BUADI J.<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="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;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 ON
CRIMINAL APPEAL<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Introduction<o:p></o:p>I need to state at the outset that this suit is part of criminal suits
that were transferred to this court by the order and hand of Her Ladyship, the
Chief Justice dated 9 May 2019 in furtherance of powers vested in her by s.104, Courts Act, 1993 (Act 495). The
suit was first called in this court on 10 June 2019; the lawyers had already
filed their written addresses. Having considered the papers on record with the
lawyers, I scheduled the suit for judgment today, 8 July 2019. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The suit is a
criminal appeal from the judgment of the Circuit Court, Ashaiman dated 13
January 2016.<a href="file:///C:/Users/aggie/Desktop/2020-21/Criminal/Raymond%20Ajuwa%20v%20Republic%20(AutoRecovered)%20(2021_01_25%2010_26_20%20UTC).docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a> The court<a href="file:///C:/Users/aggie/Desktop/2020-21/Criminal/Raymond%20Ajuwa%20v%20Republic%20(AutoRecovered)%20(2021_01_25%2010_26_20%20UTC).docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="">[2]</a> convicted
and sentenced the appellant to ten (10) years imprisonment in hard labour (IHL)
on what the court stated as proven charge of defrauding by false pretenses
contrary to s.131, Criminal &amp; Other
offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). The appeal was filed by counsel pursuant to
leave for extension of time the court granted on 13 April 2017.<o:p></o:p>2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Brief
facts<o:p></o:p>The brief facts on
record are that within the period December 2013 to January 2015, appellant
managed to receive from the complainant in this case (PW1) a total amount of
GH¢26,000<a href="file:///C:/Users/aggie/Desktop/2020-21/Criminal/Raymond%20Ajuwa%20v%20Republic%20(AutoRecovered)%20(2021_01_25%2010_26_20%20UTC).docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="">[3]</a>
upon representation to PW1 that he can supply PW1 with equivalent value and
quantities of lumber boards, a representation PW1 claims that appellant knew to
be false. Appellant failed to supply the lumber boards for which reason he called
complainant and told him that persons he (appellant) owed had gone to the worksite
to cart away the lumber, a claim PW1 claims as untrue for which reason he made criminal
complaint to the police. Appellant was arrested and upon investigation charged
to court with the offense of defrauding by false pretense contrary to s.131, Act 29, id. Appellant pleaded ‘not
guilty’ to the charge. The trial Circuit Court found otherwise, convicted appellant
and sentenced him to ten (10) years IHL.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;3.0&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Grounds
of the appeal<o:p></o:p>3.1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pursuant to the leave of court, appellant
represented by counsel on 18 April 2017 filed notice of appeal praying the
court against his conviction on the following grounds:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:72.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-36.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</main>