[2019]DLHC17244 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><a name="_Hlk157437484"></a><a name="_Hlk152146143"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">NASIRU MOHAMMED @ BABA AMU <o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">THE REPUBLIC <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt 168.75pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua""> </span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">SUIT NO. CR/242/2015 DATE: 22<sup>ND</sup> JANUARY, 2019</span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">COUNSEL<o:p></o:p></span></b></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="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm; mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">DORA QUAYE ESQ., FOR THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm; mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">SARAH MARY ADETOLA ESQ., FOR THE APPELLANT<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">CORAM <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE CHARLES EDWARD EKOW BAIDEN</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: black; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; border-right: none; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">JUDGMENT</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The Complainant in this case, Abdul Aminu Yussif was until the early hours of 23<sup>rd</sup> January, 2009 a firm and fit taxi driver. He was in charge of his taxi No. GR 2256 X at Amakom roundabout (Kumasi) waiting for passengers, when a group of armed men went to attack him in a savagery manner. The robbers butchered him with a cutlass and made away with his money and mobile phone. As a result of the injury suffered at the hands of the robbers, the Complainant has been rendered completely blind. Subsequently, four (4) of the robbers were traced and arrested. They were arraigned before the Circuit Court at Kumasi and dealt with in accordance with the law. The Accused/Appellant was said to be one of the culprits. He was later arrested and arraigned before the Circuit Court for trial.<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>The Charges of conspiracy to commit crime,<span style="letter-spacing:.1pt"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing:.15pt"> </span>wit<span style="letter-spacing:.25pt"> </span>robbery<span style="letter-spacing:.25pt"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing:.2pt"> </span>robbery<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>contrary<span style="letter-spacing:.25pt"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>sections<span style="letter-spacing:.2pt"> </span>23(1)<span style="letter-spacing:.2pt"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing:.25pt"> </span>149<span style="letter-spacing:.2pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:.2pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:.25pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">Criminal </span>Offences Act, 1960, (Act 29) were preferred against him. The Appellant however pleaded<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>not guilty to the<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>charges<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>Prosecution<span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt"> </span>called<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>3<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>witnesses<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt"> </span>to prove<span style="letter-spacing:-.2pt"> </span>the case against the Appellant. The defense of the Appellant was a complete alibi. He denied being at the scene of the crime at all. He further denied being among the<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>gang of robbers. He claimed that he was at home when the group of people came to effect his arrest, alleging that he was a thief. He was taken to a place called <i>Gonja house </i>at Alabar where a huge crowd had gathered. He said upon an intervention by the neighborhood volunteer group, he was released but was later re-arrested. Even though the Appellant admitted knowing the Complainant before the incidence, he denied any wrongdoing.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">On the evidence, the Prosecution established the fact beyond reasonable doubt that those who attacked the Complainant were armed robbers who robbed him of his money and mobile phone. The only issue for determination was whether the Appellant was among the gang of robbers. The trial court was satisfied with the evidence of PW1 and PW2 that the Appellant was part of the gang of robbers. Accordingly,<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>Appellant was<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt"> </span>found<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>guilty<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>charges<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>sentenced<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>to 40<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>years imprisonment, I.H.L.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:5.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">Aggrieved<span style="letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span>by<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span>sentence,<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.25pt"> </span>Appellant<span style="letter-spacing:-.25pt"> </span>has<span sty