YAW MARFO v. REPUBLIC

The appellants were charged with multiple offenses, including conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery. The first accused was convicted based on a confession and sentenced to 25 years. On appeal, the first accused argued that the confession was improperly admitted, and the sentence was harsh. The court reduced the sentence to 15 years, noting that although the confession was voluntary, a mini-trial should have been held to establish this given the appellant's objection. The principles established include the necessity of voluntary confessions, the requirement for mini-trials when voluntariness is disputed, and the need for courts to acknowledge pre-sentencing custody periods. The court maintained the conviction but reduced the sentence due to its harshness.