KWABENA APPIAH vs. THE REPUBLIC. (RESPONDENT) AND DAVID APPIAH@KWABENA APPIAH vs. THE REPUBLIC. (CONSOLIDATED) [2021]DLCA11559

KWABENA APPIAH vs. THE REPUBLIC. (RESPONDENT) AND DAVID APPIAH@KWABENA APPIAH v... [2021]DLCA11559

Date	2021-04-01
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H2/03/2020
Citation No.	[2021]DLCA11559

I. O. TANKO AMADU JSC

HENRY A. KWOFIE JA

ANTHONY OPPONG JA

OHENEBA AFRIYIE NSIAH ABABIO ESQ FOR THE APPELLANT

AKOSUA DANSOWAH ASIAMAH CHRISTOPHER (SSA) FOR THE REPUBLIC

[2021]DLCA11559
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >KWABENA APPIAH<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>AND<o:p></o:p>DAVID APPIAH@KWABENA APPIAH<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE REPUBLIC.<o:p></o:p>(CONSOLIDATED)<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: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

SUIT
NO. H2/03/2020&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: 1ST APRIL, 2021<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>OHENEBA
AFRIYIE NSIAH ABABIO, ESQ 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: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

AKOSUA
DANSOWAH ASIAMAH CHRISTOPHER (SSA) FOR THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p>I.
O. TANKO AMADU JSC, HENRY A. KWOFIE JA, ANTHONY OPPONG 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>&nbsp;In
this consolidated appeal, the pertinent question to answer regarding case no.
H2/03/2020 is whether a conviction of an accused on his own plea of guilty can
be sustained by the appeal court where the accused added words to his plea but
those words are not recorded by the trial court.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Before
the view of this court is expressed on this main pertinent issue for
determination, it will be quite apposite to state the facts of this case.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;By
the facts largely given by the prosecution, the appellant was resident in
Duase, a suburb in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. The complainant was in charge
of taxi cab with registration number AS 7545 Z and he was hired by appellant to
take him from Kejetia to Garden City University, Duase New Site, Kumasi. This
was on or about 25th March 2009. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Whilst
on the way to the Garden City University, the appellant attacked the
complainant with gun and knife. He took him to a nearby bush by force, tied him
to a tree with a nylon rope and drove the car away. The appellant was later
identified and arrested and arraigned before the court with other accomplices
involved in the commission of the crime.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Actually,
it was on the 20th May 2009 that the appellant together with two
others were arraigned before the High Court, Kumasi to answer the criminal
charges of conspiracy to commit crime, namely robbery and robbery contrary to
section 23(1) and 149 of Act 29 and 149 of Act 29 respectively. The appellant
was the first accused. He pleaded guilty with explanation to his charges. It is
significant to observe that whatever was said by way of the explanation was not
recorded, contrary to practice and the criminal procedure code. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Rather,
the Learned High Court Judge stated: “The explanation of A1 is not a defence to
the charges against him. He now admits that he committed the offence. I
therefore reject his explanation and convict him on his own plea of guilty”. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Consequently,
A1 was convicted on his own plea and sentenced to 25 years on each count to run
concurrently.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Ten
years later, that is in 2019, the High Court granted the appellant leave to
appeal. Pursuant to the leave, the appellant filed the instant petition of
appeal and his grounds are:<o:p></o:p>