MOHAMMED MUSAH vs. THE REPUBLIC [2020]DLCA8592

Date	2020-01-30
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H2/15/2019
Citation No.	[2020]DLCA8592

MARIAMA OWUSU J.S.C. (PRESIDING)

DZAMEFE J. A.

WELBOURNE (MRS.) J. A.

H. H. HAYFORD FOR THE APPELLANT

YVONNE AGYARE ADJUMAH FOR THE REPUBLIC.

[2020]DLCA8592
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MOHAMMED MUSAH<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">vs.<o:p></o:p>THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL,
KUMASI]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

SUIT NO.
H2/15/2019&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 30TH JAN, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>H. H. HAYFORD FOR THE APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

YVONNE AGYARE ADJUMAH
FOR THE REPUBLIC.<o:p></o:p>

</div><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:107%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">CORAM:<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

&nbsp;MARIAMA OWUSU J.S.C. (PRESIDING), DZAMEFE J.
A., WELBOURNE (MRS.) J. A.<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>WELBOURNE, JA<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>This is an appeal against sentence only from the Judgment of the High
Court delivered on 27th July, 2015 which confirmed the sentence of
35 years imposed on the Appellant by Circuit Court, Kumasi on the 20th
March, 2009.<o:p></o:p>In this appeal, the 2nd Convict/Appellant is hereinafter
referred to as the Appellant, while the Respondent/Respondent is hereinafter
referred to as the Respondent. The Record of Appeal is also hereinafter
referred to as the Record.<o:p></o:p>BRIEF FACTS:<o:p></o:p>On the 17th day of November, 2008, the Complainants in this
case Thomas Osei (PW1) and Peter Quayson (PW2) were travelling from Takoradi to
Kumasi. They had embarked on this trip at the instance of their employer who
had tasked them to distribute his (the employer’s) mother’s funeral invitation
cards and also make some purchases in preparation towards the same funeral.
Towards Kumasi, the two arrived at Pakyi around 4:30 a.m. There, Ato Quayson
(PW2) who was driving their Urvan with Registration Number WR 1073 R decided to
ease himself along the way. Then appeared three (3) armed men who at gun point
attacked and robbed them of their money and other valuables in the vehicle. The
Complainants after the robbery drove to Pakyi Police to report. The police
accompanied the complainants to the scene of the attack and its environs in
search of the robbers. Eventually the Accused Zibo Sulemana and Mohammed Musah
were arrested around the scene. The two (2) of them were arraigned before the
Circuit Court charged with the offences of Conspiracy to rob and robbery. The 3rd
Accused person, one Mohammed Osman was said to have managed to flee. Initially,
the two (2) Accused persons pleaded Not Guilty to the charges. The prosecution
called four (4) witnesses to testify in proving its case against the Accused
persons after which the 1st Accused pleaded guilty. After a full
trial, the 2nd Accused was found guilty of the offence charged and
was sentenced to thirty-five (35) years IHL on all counts. Sentence to run
concurrently. Dissatisfied with the sentence, the Appellant herein appealed
against only the sentence, first in the appellate High Court for a reduction in
the sentence and same was refused and is currently before this Court.<o:p></o:p>The Judgment of the trial Circuit Court spanned from pages 28
to 32 of the Record. The Notice of Criminal Appeal pursuant to leave
granted on 29th June, 2015 can also be found at pages 33 of the Record.
The Judgment of the appellate High Court is on pages 34 and 35 of the Record.
The Notice of Appeal to this Court pursuant to leave granted on 23rd
November, 2018, can also be found at pages 36 to 37 of the Record.<o:p></o:p>This appeal is on the sentence only and same is anchored on the sole
ground:<o:p></o:p>1.That the High Court Judge erred by not seeing the sentence of 35 years
IHL being too harsh and excessive based on the following mitigating factors or
circumstances;<o:p></o:p>