SHERIFF GYARKO vs. THE REPUBLIC [2020]DLCA16217

Date	2020-06-25
Suit No.	CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.: H2/07/2019
Citation No.	[2020]DLCA16217

ANGELINA M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS.) J A (PRESIDING)

ALEX B. POKU-ACHEAMPONG J A

SAMUEL K. A. ASIEDU J A

AUGUSTUS ANANE-QUEBAH FOR THE APPELLANT

AFUA SRAKUBEA ASANTE-MANTE A.S.A. FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[2020]DLCA16217
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >SHERIFF GYARKO <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>[COURT OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<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: 0in 0in 1pt;">

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.:H2/07/2019&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 25TH JUNE, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>AUGUSTUS ANANE-QUEBAH FOR THE 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: 0in 0in 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">AFUA SRAKUBEA ASANTE-MANTE
A.S.A. FOR THE RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p>ANGELINA M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS.) J A
(PRESIDING), ALEX B. POKU-ACHEAMPONG J A, SAMUEL K. A. ASIEDU J A<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 0in;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;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:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>DOMAKYAAREH (MRS) J.A<o:p></o:p>[1] This
is an appeal against the judgment of the High Court, Sunyani, in the exercise
of its appellate jurisdiction dated 10th July 2014.&nbsp; Earlier on, the Circuit Court at Techiman had on 18th February,
2014 convicted the Appellant herein on two counts, namely, conspiracy to commit
crime to wit: Robbery contrary to Sections 23 and 149 of the Criminal Offences
Act 1960, Act 29 and Robbery contrary to Section 149 of the same Act.&nbsp; The trial Circuit Court convicted and
sentenced the Appellant to 24 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour on each
count, with the sentences to run concurrently.&nbsp;
The Appellant was aggrieved by this outcome and consequently appealed
against both his conviction and sentence to the High Court Sunyani.&nbsp; On 10th July 2014, the High Court
delivered its judgment.&nbsp; The High Court
upheld the conviction on both counts but however varied the sentence of 24
years Imprisonment with Hard Labour by setting same aside and substituting in
its place, 12 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour on each count with the
sentences also to run concurrently.&nbsp; The Appellant
is still dissatisfied with this outcome and has now appealed to this Court
against both his conviction and the sentence.<o:p></o:p>[2] The
facts underpinning all this trajectory is that the Appellant is a driver who
lives at Nkonsia Near Wenchi while the Complainants, who are three in number,
are farmers at Kanase also near Wenchi.&nbsp;
There were two other co-accused A2 and A3 jointly charged with the Appellant
but they have remained at large up till date.&nbsp;
On 20th June 2013 at about 9.00pm, the Appellant, agreed
together with A2 and A3 to rob passengers on the Droboso-Agubie feeder
road.&nbsp; They went there with sticks.&nbsp; At the same time, the Complainants were
returning to Agubie on their motorbike.&nbsp;
The Appellant and his two other co-accused attacked them and managed to
rob one Emmanuel Fosu of GH¢80.00. Realising that the accused were not armed
with guns, the Complainants resisted.&nbsp; In
the process, A2 and A3 escaped but A1, the Appellant herein, was over powered
by the Complainants. The Police at Wenchi were informed.&nbsp; The Appellant was handed over to the Police
and after investigations, he was charged before the Circuit Court, convicted and
sentenced by the Circuit Court. The sentence was varied by the High Court on
appeal as indicated.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>[3] The Appellant
has appealed to this court on two grounds, namely: <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:
&quot;Century Schoolbook&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Century Schoolbook&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Century Schoolbook&quot;">1)<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The High Court judge erred by convicting the Appellant
as the verdict cannot be supported having regard to the evidence on record and<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:
&quot;Century Schoolbook&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Century Schoolbook&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Century Schoolbook&quot;">2)<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The sentence of 12 years Imprisonment with
Hard Labour imposed on the Appellant is too harsh and excessive.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It is worthwhile to note that these were
also essentially the two grounds of appeal canvassed before the High
Court.&nbsp; (See unnumbered page immediately
following page 12 of the Record of Appeal).<o:p></o:p>Consideration of the grounds of appeal:<o:p></o:p>Ground 1<o:p></o:p>The
High Court judge erred by convicting the Appellant as the verdict cannot be
supported having rega</main>