IBRAHIM ABDULAI vs. THE REPUBLIC [2019]DLSC10115

Date	2019-04-30
Suit No.	CASE NO. CR/793/2016
Citation No.	[2019]DLSC10115

JUSTICE GEORGE BUADI J.

JOSEPH NICHOLAS NKRUMAH FOR APPELLANT PRESENT

VICTORIA ASIEDUWAA (SENIOR STATE ATTORNEY) FOR REPUBLIC/RESP) PRESENT

[2019]DLSC10115
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >IBRAHIM ABDULAI<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;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">CASE
NO. CR/793/2016&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: 30TH APRIL 2019<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
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padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">VICTORIA
ASIEDUWAA (SENIOR STATE ATTORNEY) FOR REPUBLIC/RESP) PRESENT<o:p></o:p>

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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>1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Background<o:p></o:p>This is a criminal
appeal against the judgment of the Circuit Court ‘A’, Tema dated 17 November
2015.<a href="file:///C:/Users/aggie/Desktop/2020-21/Criminal/Ibrahim%20Abdulai%20v%20Rep%20(Appeal)%20(2021_01_25%2010_26_20%20UTC).docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a>
The notice of appeal was filed on 3 November 2016 pursuant to leave the court granted
on 26 October 2016. It is uncertain what happened thereafter, but, appellant it
appears once again on 5 December 2018 secured leave of this court differently constituted
for extension of time to appeal. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;2.0&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
facts<o:p></o:p>2.1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The facts are that on 13 August 2008, seven
accused persons including appellant, armed with offensive weapons<a href="file:///C:/Users/aggie/Desktop/2020-21/Criminal/Ibrahim%20Abdulai%20v%20Rep%20(Appeal)%20(2021_01_25%2010_26_20%20UTC).docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="">[2]</a> invaded
the premises of the complainant company, Sunlight Engineering Company Limited at
the Light Industrial Area, Tema. The accused persons including appellant upon
entry into the premises of the complainant company assaulted workers and staff of
the company, not sparing customers transacting business with the company at the
material time. The accused persons, including appellant succeeded to make away from
the premises with sums of money, a lap-top computer, mobile phones, and a
digital camera into a waiting Peugeot 505 vehicle they came with. Upon tip off,
the police, assisted by a Good Samaritan who offered his car and also armed
with a pistol pursued the accused persons and succeeded to round up three
including appellant. The other four managed to escape arrest.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;2.2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The three accused persons including
appellant were arraigned before the trial Circuit Court, Tema on nine counts of
conspiracy to commit crime, robbery, possession of narcotic drug, as well as
firearm without authority, contrary to law – s.23(1); and s.149 of the Criminal
Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29); s.2(1) of PNDCL 236; and s.11 of the Arms and
Ammunition Decree, 1972 (NRCD 9) respectively. The appellant, who was the third
accused person was convicted together with the other two on count 1 on the
charge of conspiracy, counts 2, 5 and 6 on the charge of robbery. The appellant
who was solely charged with the offence of possession of narcotic drug was
acquitted of the offence. The three were sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in
hard labour on each count to run concurrently. <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; 3rd accused’s appeal is
against both conviction and sentence. The appeal is propped on three grounds: first,
that the conviction was an error in law; second, that the conviction was
against the weight of evidence; and third, that the sentence of 15 years was
too harsh. The appeal is being heard on the basis of written submissions the lawyers
filed pursuant to orders of the court.<a href="file:///C:/Users/aggie/Desktop/2020-21/Criminal/Ibrahim%20Abdulai%20v%20Rep%20(Appeal)%20(2021_01_25%2010_26_20%20UTC).docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="">[3]</a> <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;3.2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbs</main>