Rex V. Okereke of Aliade & Anor (1936)

LawGlobal Hub Judgment Report – West African Court of Appeal

Appeal against sentences—Sentences enhanced.

There is no necessity to set out the facts of this case.High court.

Appellants in person.

A. R. W. Sayle for Crown.

The following joint judgment was delivered :-

KINGDON, C.J., NIGERIA, BUTLER LLOYD AND GRAHAM PAUL, J J.

In this case the two appellants have appealed against sentences of three years I.H.L. passed upon each of them by the High Court of the Kaduna Division. The Court is satisfied that the sentences certainly are not too severe, and the Crown has asked that they be enhanced. The two appellants were caught with a large number of counterfeit coins and no genuine ones. They are of a tribe in the Southern Provinces where counterfeiting is rife and they were seeking to utter these coins in the Northern Provinces. Had they been caught and tried anywhere in the Southern Provinces they would undoubtedly have received very much more severe sentences, and we are of opinion that the uttering of counterfeit coins in the Northern Provinces, where it has not yet reached the prevalence it has in the Southern Provinces, should be checked, if possible, by appropriately severe sentences. We have accordingly decided to enhance the sentences.

The sentences passed at the trial are quashed and in substitution therefor the following sentences are passed :-

On the first appellant, four years I.H.L. On the second appellant, four years I.H.L.

Sentences to run from date of conviction.