KOFI AMUZU vs. THE REPUBLIC [2023]DLHC17096

Date	2023-02-27
Suit No.	SUIT NO. F22/08/2023
Citation No.	[2023]DLHC17096

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE BERNARD BENTIL

LUCY BOISON ESQ.

[2023]DLHC17096
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><div class="WordSection1">

KOFI AMUZU<o:p></o:p>

THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>

&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

<a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a>SUIT NO. F22/08/2023&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: 27TH FEBRUARY, 2023<o:p></o:p>

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COUNSEL&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

LUCY BOISON ESQ. (STATE
ATTORNEY) FOR THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>

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CORAM<o:p></o:p>

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE
BERNARD BENTIL<o:p></o:p>

JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

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This is an appeal by the
Appellant against the sentence imposed by the trial judge following the conviction of the Appellant on his own plea of guilty with explanation. The Appellant, together with one Samuel Kwesi
Bekoe (alias One Corner), was arraigned before the Circuit Court, Cape Coast,
on the charges of conspiracy to steal contrary to sections 23(1) and 124(1) of
the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act
29) and Stealing contrary to section 124(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960
(Act 29).<o:p></o:p>

The Appellant pleaded
guilty with explanation. However, upon listening to the explanation proffered by the Appellant, the learned trial
judge entered a plea of guilty
as the explanation he rendered
to the court did not disclose any reasonable defence
to the charges. Thereupon, the trial judge convicted the Appellant on his own plea to a term of
Thirty (30) years imprisonment in hard labour. It is against this sentence that
the instant appeal has been brought.<o:p></o:p>

At
page 9 of Record of Appeal, the trial judge
stated that:<o:p></o:p>

I have noted that A2 has
been so honest with the court by pleading guilty and providing honest
explanation. I have also noted that A2 was convicted and sentenced from
this very court on a similar offence. I have also noted that section 296(5)
gives the maximum imprisonment sentence as 25 years and because A2 is known he is to serve twice the maximum imprisonment. However, for A2’s </main>