[2023]DLHC17001 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">ABDUL WAHAB BASHIRU<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">(ACCUSED/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">[HIGH COURT, HO]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;tab-stops:168.75pt 278.15pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua""> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt; margin-left: 4.5pt; margin-right: -2.5pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">SUIT NO. F22/16/2023 DATE: 14<sup>TH</sup> MARCH, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;tab-stops:96.25pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">COUNSEL <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt; margin-left: 4.5pt; margin-right: -2.5pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">JOSEPH OPUSUMA (ASA) FOR THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">CORAM<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE CHARITY A. ASEM (MRS)<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: black; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm; margin-left: 4.5pt; margin-right: -2.5pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none; mso-border-top-alt:solid black 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-right:1.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The<span style="letter-spacing: -.4pt"> </span>appellant<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>who<span style="letter-spacing:-.25pt"> </span>is<span style="letter-spacing:-.45pt"> </span>aged<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>25<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>years<span style="letter-spacing:-.45pt"> </span>was<span style="letter-spacing:-.45pt"> </span>charged<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>with<span style="letter-spacing:-.45pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.45pt"> </span>offence<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span>Stealing<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>Contrary to Section 124(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, Act 29/60 as amended by paragraph 4 of NLCD 398 of 1969, and put before the Circuit Court, Ho on May 26, 2021 when arraigned, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five (5) years imprisonment IHL.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-right:1.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">Brief facts of the case are that, on the 19<span style="position:relative;top:-3.5pt;mso-text-raise: 3.5pt">th<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span></span>May, 2021, complainant detected that his vehicle with registration No. GN 3365 -13 was stolen though the key was in his possession.<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>A formal complaint was lodged.<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>Police at Ahamansu barrier later intercepted<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>car<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>which<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>was<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>in<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>possession<span style="letter-spacing: -.75pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>accused/appellant<span style="letter-spacing: -.75pt"> </span>enroute<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>Yendi. The<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt"> </span>accused/appellant was<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>arrested<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>after<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>investigations he<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt"> </span>was charged<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>with<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>the offence of stealing.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-right:1.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-right:1.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">After<span style="letter-spacing:-.45pt"> </span>securing<span style="letter-spacing:-.5pt"> </span>leave<span style="letter-spacing:-.65pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.55pt"> </span>court<span style="letter-spacing:-.6pt"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing:-.6pt"> </span>appeal<span style="letter-spacing:-.55pt"> </span>against<span style="letter-spacing:-.5pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.55pt"> </span>sentence,<span style="letter-spacing:-.5pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.55pt"> </span>instant<span style="letter-spacing:-.5pt"> </span>appeal<span style="letter-spacing:-.55pt"> </span>was <span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">launched.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-right:1.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">His<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt"> </span>grounds<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>Appeal are<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt"> </span>as<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">follows;</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-right:1.0pt;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:1.0pt;margin-bottom: 0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:0cm;line-height:115%; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:42.95pt"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%">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-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> &