In criminal matters the jurisdiction of the courts was primarily territorial. However, in certain circumstances under our laws, a person’s status could either confer jurisdiction on or deny jurisdiction to our courts. In the instant case, the applicant was a citizen of Ghana, employed by the Republic and alleged to have misused his official position to commit the offence of extortion. Accordingly, by virtue of the provision of section 51(3)(a) of the Courts Act 1972 (Act 372)-which was the relevant law at the time the applicant was tried-even if he had committed the offence in London, ie outside Ghana, he could be tried by the courts of Ghana.