THE REPUBLIC vs. HIGH COURT, SEKONDI EX-PARTE: GEORGE KINGSLEY KWASI AMPONG, INTERESTED PARTIES; NANA KWADU KYEREFO III

The applicant, George Kingsley Kwasi Ampong, was declared customarily destooled as Omanhene of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area by the Chieftaincy Tribunal of the Western Regional House of Chiefs via default judgment on 11 June 2010. The Tribunal restrained him from holding himself out as Omanhene. A motion to set aside the default judgment was dismissed by the Tribunal on 27 October 2010 due to contempt. The applicant then filed for judicial review by the Sekondi High Court to quash the Tribunal's ruling, which was dismissed on 21 December 2010. The applicant sought to have the High Court's dismissal quashed by the Supreme Court, raising substantially the same grounds as before with an additional ground concerning alleged unwarranted strictures on his counsel's professional integrity.

AKOTO BAMFO J.S.C. It is the prayer of the applicant herein George Kingsley Kwasi Ampong alias Odeneho Akrufa Krukoko II that the ruling of the High Court, Sekondi dated the 21st of December,2010 be brought up and quashed on the grounds set out in the supporting affidavit consisting of 19 paragraphs. In brief, the events culminating in the present application are as follows; On the 11th of June 2010; the Chieftaincy Tribunal of the Western Regional House of Chiefs gave a default Judgment in suit number 11/20/10. Nana Kwando Kyerefo III +5 Ors, the interested parties herein were the petitioners whereas George Kingsley Kwasi Ampong a. k. a. Odeneho Akrufa Krukoko II, the applicant herein was the respondent. At the end of the proceedings, the chieftaincy Tribunal made this pronouncement; 1. “The respondent George K. Ampong is hereby declared as having been customarily destooled as Omanhene of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area with effect from 23rd April 2002. 2. The respondent is per.....