Customer Support

MAXWELL APPAH & ANOR
V.
THE REPUBLIC

(2016) JELR 91876 (CA)

Court of Appeal 20 Dec 2016 Ghana
BriefBot icon

BriefBot Summary

Free

- Conviction for murder was quashed and appellant acquitted due to insufficient evidence; prosecution failed to prove intent to kill beyond reasonable doubt as required for murder under Ghanaian law. - The trial judge committed material mis

Case Details

Suit Number:NO: H2/03/2014
Judges:Adjei, J.A. (PRESIDING), Sowah, J.A., Mensah, J.A.
Counsel:Francis Kwesi Otoo (Esq.) for Appellant Emily Addo-Okyireh (CSA) for Respondent
Other Citations:(2016) JELR 66592 (CA), (2016) JELR 91909 (CA)

JUDGMENT

SOWAH, J.A.

The appellant was convicted for murder at the High Court, Koforidua on 28th July 2011, and duly sentenced to death.  Aggrieved by his conviction, the appellant filed his petition of appeal on 2nd August 2011 with the following grounds of appeal:

  1. The verdict cannot be supported having regard to the evidence.
  2. Misdirection of res gestae
  3. Misdirection on admissibility and weight of dying declaration 
  4. Misdirection on non-production of material witness.
  5. Further grounds of appeal would be filed on receipt of the record of proceedings

The facts as presented to the court and jury were that the appellant was the mate of the 2nd accused. Together with two other persons, they were returning from the bush with sawn logs when their KIA truck was stuck in the mud in Ahankrasu village. The villagers suspected them of engaging in illegal sawing of logs so the chief was informed. He ordered the logs to be off-loaded. The deceased had climbed the truck to do so when the 2nd accused [driver] …

There's more. Sign in to continue reading.

judy.legal is the comprehensive database of case law and legislation from Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. Gain seamless access to over 77,000 cases, recent judgments, statutes, and rules of court.