OWUSU BANAHENE vs. THE REPUBLIC [2019]DLSC6578

Date	2019-07-03
Suit No.	CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. J3/02/2019
Citation No.	[2019]DLSC6578

ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC (PRESIDING)

DOTSE JSC

YEBOAH JSC

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC

PWAMANG JSC

NANA YAA NARTEY FOR THE APPELLANT/APPELLANT

FRANCES MULLEN ANSAH PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT

[2019]DLSC6578
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >OWUSU BANAHENE<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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APPEAL NO. J3/02/2019&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;DATE: 3RD JULY, 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>NANA YAA NARTEY FOR THE APPELLANT/APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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FRANCES MULLEN ANSAH, PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY FOR
THE RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC (PRESIDING), DOTSE JSC, YEBOAH
JSC, BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC, PWAMANG JSC<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none;
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</div>ADINYIRA (MRS.), JSC:-<o:p></o:p>The
appellant, Owusu Banahene alongside with two other accused persons was
convicted on two counts of conspiracy to steal and stealing building materials
to the tune of GH¢ 2, 050,000.00 from Iron Birds Company , a company of his own
uncle. &nbsp;On, 11 February 2011, he was
convicted and sentenced to 20 years IHL and the other two accused persons were
sentenced to terms of 10 and 15 years respectively. The trial Judge also made a
restitution order for the appellant to restore to the complainant all
properties and items acquired as proceeds of the dishonest appropriation.<o:p></o:p>An
appeal to the Court of Appeal having failed, the appellant has appealed against
this judgment dated 25 June 2013 on two grounds that the judgment was against
the weight of evidence and the sentence harsh and excessive.<o:p></o:p>Ground
One: Judgment is against the weight of evidence<o:p></o:p>We
have given serious consideration to this ground of appeal and evaluated the
evidence and have come to the conclusion that there is sufficient evidence on
record to support the charges against the appellant. We do not find any merit
on this ground of appeal.<o:p></o:p>We
will accordingly dismiss this ground of appeal and affirm the conviction of the
appellant.<o:p></o:p>Ground
Two: Sentence of 20 years IHL is excessive and harsh<o:p></o:p>As
a principle, sentencing is a matter of discretion for the trial court and an
appellate court will only interfere when in its opinion the sentence is
manifestly excessive having regard to the circumstances of the case or that the
sentence was wrong in principle. See Apaloo
v The Republic [1975] 1GLR 156.<o:p></o:p>Factors
that a court considers in determining the length of sentence include:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Any period of time spent in lawful custody in
respect of that offence before the completion of his trial [Article 14 (4) of
the Constitution,1992]<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The intrinsic seriousness of the offence.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The degree of revulsion felt by law abiding
citizens of the society for the particular crime.<o:p></o:p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The premeditation with which the crime was
convicted.<o:p></o:p>5.