JUSTICE ERNEST AMOH vs THE REPUBLIC [2022]DLCA16061

Date	2022-04-12
Suit No.	CRIMINAL APPEA NO: H2/27/2021
Citation No.	[2022]DLCA16061

SOWAH J. A. (PRESIDING)

OPPONG J. A.

MENSAH-HOMIAH J. A.

NANA GYANKOMA DJABA MENSAH

[2022]DLCA16061
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >JUSTICE ERNEST AMOH<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>&nbsp;<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;">

CRIMINAL APPEA NO: H2/27/2021&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE:12TH&nbsp;APRIL 2022<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>SOWAH
J. A. (PRESIDING), OPPONG J. A., MENSAH-HOMIAH 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 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;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">JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>MENSAH-HOMIAH, J.A.<o:p></o:p>INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p>As a preface to this judgment, we remind ourselves of the
following statement by C.S. Lewis about the justice system: “It is only as
deserved or undeserved that a sentence can be just or unjust”.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>The Appellant before us, is aggrieved by the 30-year sentence
imposed on him by the High Court, Accra on 6th July 2009 for the
offences of conspiracy to commit crime to wit robbery; and robbery, contrary to
section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) as amended by the
Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2003, Act 646. To the Appellant, he
did not deserve such a punitive or harsh sentence. In line with our core
mandate to re-hear this appeal, we would ascertain from the record of appeal whether
or not, in the circumstances of this case, Appellant was deserving of the 30
years sentence imposed on him by the trial court or whether the sentence was in
accordance with law.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;BACKGROUND FACTS<o:p></o:p>Briefly, the salient facts are that on 21st July 2007
at about 1:30 a.m. Appellant herein and his accomplices armed with a locally
manufactured pistol and knives attacked the complainants, Ato Korsah and Gifty
Opoku in their residence at Hydrofoam Estates, Spintex Road. In the process,
these miscreants inflicted wounds on the 1st Complainant, Ato
Korsah. Two of the accused persons forcibly had sex with the house help of the
Complainants in turns. Accused persons succeeded in taking away the following
items: Passport No. HO506222, eight (8) wrist watches, four (4) mobile phones,
US$400, GHC160, bottles of perfume, gold &amp; silver jewelries including an
engagement ring and a car key.&nbsp; After the
robbery operation, Accused Persons sold 2nd Complainant’s passport
to a certain lady who replaced the picture of the true owner of the passport.
Through investigations, Appellant and others were arrested and arraigned before
the High Court, Accra.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;DECISION OF THE HIGH COURT<o:p></o:p>After a full trial, Appellant and his accomplices were found
guilty of the charges levelled against them and they were convicted
accordingly.&nbsp; The learned trial judge
proceeded to pass sentence in these words:<o:p></o:p>“I convict all
the three accused persons on each count of the charges preferred against them.
They are each sentenced to 30 years imprisonment on each count to run
concurrently in hard labour”.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;GROUNDS OF APPEAL<o:p></o:p>Pursuant to leave of this court granted on 14th
December, 2020, a notice of appeal was filed. It is placed on record that, although
the notice of appeal was filed jointly by Appellant and another convict by name
Abdul Wasiru alias Joseph Abraham who was the 3rd accused on the
charge sheet, this court struck out the n</main>