SElFAH vs. FORFIE

Practice-Review-Power of court to review its own judgment or decision¬ Judgment given without jurisdiction-Courts Ordinance, c. 4 of 1951, Second Schedule, Order 42. Practice-Review-Power of court to review its own judgment given without jurisdiction. This was an action for a declaration of title to land, commenced in a Native Court, which reached on appeal the Court of the Chief Commis¬sioner of Ashanti. The officer presiding over the Chief Commissioner's Court purported to give a decision in favour of the defendant but later realised that his appointment to preside over the court had been rescinded with effect from the date on which he had given his decision. Subse¬quently he was reappointed, for a limited period, to preside over the court and during this period he exercised his power to review his earlier decision. He stated that he had no jurisdiction at the time he delivered this decision and then proceeded to deliver a judgment in identical terms with it. An appeal was taken...