The Appellant, a local medicine practitioner, together with other persons, was charged with and convicted of being in unlawful possession of government trophies, namely python skin and lion teeth. A search of the premises led to the finding of the trophies in a bag which was alleged to belong to the Appellant. The trial was commenced without the consent of the DPP. Dissatisfied by the decision of the trial court the Appellant appealed to the High Court where he faulted the decision of the trial court on two grounds, namely, that there was no evidence that the bag belonged to him as there were other people at the premises and that the search was not witnessed by independent witnesses.
The High Court judge considered the propriety of commencing the trial without DPP’s consent and the jurisdiction of a subordinate court to try economic offences.