AMARTEIFIO vs. ANKRAH & ANOR. [1959]DLHC1986

Date	1959-05-25
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1959]DLHC1986

OLLENNU J.

ANOBAH FOR PLAINTIFF (B.W. AMARTEIFIO).

OFORI ATTA (WITH HIM QUASHIE-SAM) FOR THE DEFENDANTS (ANKRAH AND APPAH).

[1959]DLHC1986
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">AMARTEIFIO <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">vs. <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">ANKRAH &amp; ANOR.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH COURT (LANDS DIVISION), ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[1959] GLR 230<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

DATE:
25TH MAY, 1959.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

ANOBAH FOR
PLAINTIFF (B.W. AMARTEIFIO).<o:p></o:p>

OFORI ATTA
(WITH HIM QUASHIE-SAM) FOR THE DEFENDANTS (ANKRAH AND APPAH).<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

OLLENNU J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF OLLENNU J.<o:p></o:p>In this
case Benjamin William Amarteifio claims Declaration of Title to House No.
D.243/2, Bukom, Accra, and an Order for recovery of possession. He alleges that
he purchased the said house from one Madam Kowah Nunoo (popularly called Yawah
Nunoo) in 1943, a Deed of Conveyance thereof being executed in his favour by
his said vendor on the 10th March, 1959.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
defendants deny that the plaintiff purchased the said house as alleged. In the
alternative they plead that even if the plaintiff did purchase the said house
as alleged, then he did so with moneys contributed by the family; but they do
not specify to which family they refer. They further plead that they are not
trespassers, that they have lived in the house for a long time with full
knowledge of the plaintiff, and that they have contributed moneys to the
plaintiff for the upkeep of the house.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>From the
evidence it appears that the cause of action is refusal by the defendants to
recognise the plaintiff’s title to the house, and his right to claim rents in
respect thereof.<o:p></o:p>It is
common ground between the parties that the house in dispute was the
self-acquired property of the late D. Amarteifio, who died intestate in 1908.
The plaintiff is a son of the said D. Amarteifio, and the defendants are
children of two daughters of one E. W. Amarteifio, who also was a son of the
late D. Amarteifio.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>According
to D. W. I. Faustinatious Amarteifio, (son of E. W. Amarteifio) the said D.
Amarteifio left surviving him four children, of whom the plaintiff was the
youngest. The four children were J. W. Amarteifio, F. W. Amarteifio, E. W.
Amarteifio, and B. W. Amarteifio (the plaintiff). These four sons succeeded to
their said deceased’s father’s property. The plaintiff says that the late D.
Amarteifio had daughters also, three of whom are still alive.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
plaintiff admitted that he and E.W. Amarteifio lived in the house for some
time. Later, the plaintiff left, but E. W. Amarteifio continued to live there
up to 1956, when he died. The plaintiff agreed with a suggestion made to him in
cross-examination that when he and his said brother E.W. Amarteifio lived in the
house, they did so as caretakers of the house up to the time the plaintiff
left. Faustinatious, on the other hand, says that it was E.W. Amarteifio alone
who looked after the house.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It is
admitted by both sides that the property was sold at public auction in 1936 by
order of the District Magistrate’s Court, in execution of a decree which the
Accra Town Council had obtained against the estate of D. Amarteifio, deceased.
It is also admitted that at the sale the house was purchased by one Yawah</main>