JUDGEMENT
COUSSEY P.
The appellant was charged with the murder of a youth, Kwame Boadu alias Kwami Dappo, at Nktondua village in the Western Judicial Division on February 23, 1956. When he was arraigned on June 6, 1956, the trial was adjourned by the court for a medical statement as to his state of mind. On June 29, 1956, the psychiatric specialist reported that in his opinion the appellant was unfit to plead. On September 12, 1956, the court was of opinion that the appellant was still incapable of making his defence, owing to his state of mind, and thereupon postponed the proceedings for further medical observation of the appellant. On January 2, 1957, the appellant was again arraigned before the same judge at the Sekondi Assizes. There is no record of any further enquiry regarding the state of the appellant's mind nor of a certificate as to his fitness to plead, but on that day the appellant apparently pleaded" not guilty" to the charge and the trial proceeded.
The case for the prosec…