MOHAMMED SALO. vs. THE REPUBLIC [2021]DLCA10807

Date	2021-06-10
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H2/01/2019
Citation No.	[2021]DLCA10807

CECILIA H. SOWAH JA (PRESIDING)

ANTHONY OPPONG JA

ANGELINA MENSAH-HOMIAH JA

SULEMANA MUSAH ESQ FOR APPELLANT

NANA GYANKOMA DJABA MENSAH (SA) ESQ FOR RESPONDENT

[2021]DLCA10807
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MOHAMMED SALO.<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, KOFORIDUA]<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;">

SUIT
NO. H2/01/2019&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: 17TH JUNE 2021<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>SULEMANA
MUSAH ESQ FOR 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: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

NANA
GYANKOMA DJABA MENSAH (SA) ESQ FOR RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>CECILIA
H. SOWAH JA (PRESIDING), ANTHONY OPPONG JA, ANGELINA MENSAH-HOMIAH JA<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 0cm;">

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

</div>&nbsp;ANTHONY OPPONG, JA<o:p></o:p>The
appellant with five others were arraigned before the High Court, Sekondi, with
the offences of conspiracy to commit crime to wit, robbery contrary to sections
23(1) and 149 of Act 29/60 as amended by Act 646 and 12 counts of robbery
contrary to section 149 of Act 29/60 as amended by Act 646. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The
appellant pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. However, after the
trial, the trial High Court in a judgment dated 6th November, 2017
found at pages 302 to 360 of the record of appeal convicted him and sentenced
him accordingly.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The
appellant filed notice of appeal pursuant to leave of this court dated 23rd
July 2019 found at page 423 of the record of appeal. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Before
going into the merits or the demerits of the appeal we may look at the facts.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;On
the 15th November, 2011, at about 4.30 a.m., a group of persons
armed with guns and cutlasses blocked the motor road between Sefwi Boako and
Sefwi Fawoman with logs and blocks and attacked traders who were travelling
between Sefwi Wiawso and Kumasi. The armed men were alleged to have taken from
the travelers several thousands of cedis, mobile phones and other valuables. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Before
the police, who got information as to what was happening, got there the robbers
had fled. However, upon a search at the scene of the crime, the police found
empty cartridges, logs and blocks used by the robbers to block the road. It was
further alleged that after the robbery four of the robbers including the
appellant checked into a hotel at Sefwi Boako. However, the appellant who was
the third accused at the trial was arrested together with others while they
were in a taxi the next day. Appellant was identified by one of the victims of
the offence in an identification parade.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The
grounds upon which this petition by way of the appeal has been brought before
this court were stated as follows:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The verdict cannot be supported
having regard to the evidence on record<o:p></o:p>(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The sentence is harsh and
excessive having regard to all circumstances of the case<o:p></o:p>In
a criminal case, it is trite that it is the duty of the prosecution to prove
the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt. The Constitution, 1992
provides that “ a person charged </main>