JOHN SAGOE & 2 ORS. vs. THE REPUBLIC [2023]DLHC17070

Date	2023-05-09
Suit No.	SUIT NO. F17/7/22
Citation No.	[2023]DLHC17070

HIS LORDSHIP DR. RICHMOND OSEI- HWERE J.

DERRICK ASANTE ESQ

GEORGE SACKEY ESQ

EBO DONKOR ESQ

[2023]DLHC17070
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="_Hlk152146143"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;line-height:115%;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">JOHN SAGOE &amp;
2 ORS.<o:p></o:p></a><span style="font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">(CONVICT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:
12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;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">vs.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:
12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;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">THE REPUBLIC <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">&nbsp;<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;">

</div><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">CORAM <o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP DR. RICHMOND OSEI- HWERE, J.<span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o: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;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt;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"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;This is an appeal against
the judgment of the Circuit Court, Takoradi dated 26th February,
2016.<o:p></o:p>The appellant was arrested
and charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit crime, namely Robbery contrary
to sections 23(1) and 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) as
amended and Robbery contrary to Section 149 of Act 29. Appellant was charged
together with two other persons who were at large during the trial. <o:p></o:p>Appellant pleaded not guilty
to the offences. After a full trial, he was convicted and sentenced to Twenty
Years (20) imprisonment in hard labour.<o:p></o:p>Aggrieved by the conviction
and sentence, Appellant has filed an appeal against same.<o:p></o:p>The grounds of appeal are
thus;<o:p></o:p>i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
conviction is wrong in law as the offence charged is not supported by the Facts
presented by the prosecution. ALTERNATIVELY<o:p></o:p>ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
sentence is harsh and excessive having regard to the circumstances of the case.<o:p></o:p>It is apparent from the
written submissions of counsel for the Appellant that he failed or refused to
canvass any legal argument in support of the first ground of appeal i.e. that
the conviction is wrong in law. Counsel relied on legal authorities relating to
punishment and argued in support of the ground that the conviction was harsh
and excessive. <o:p></o:p>In response, the learned
State Attorney submitted on behalf of the Republic/Respondent that the sentence
was neither harsh nor excessive considering the seriousness of the offence
among other factors. She submitted that the sentence should not be disturbed.<o:p></o:p>After a careful review of
t</main>