IN RE THE PUBLIC LANDS (LEASEHOLD) ORDINANCE AND IN RE LAND ACQUIRED AT ACCRA FOR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WORKSHOP OSU MANTSE & ORS. (CLAIMANTS) [1959]DLHC2015

IN RE THE PUBLIC LANDS (LEASEHOLD) ORDINANCE AND IN RE LAND ACQUIRED AT ACCRA FO... [1959]DLHC2015

Date	1959-04-07
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1959]DLHC2015

OLLENNU J.

1ST CLAIMANT IN PERSON. DA ROCHA FOR 2ND CLAIMANT. AKUFO-ADDO FOR 3RD AND 4TH CLAIMANTS.

[1959]DLHC2015
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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">IN RE THE PUBLIC LANDS (LEASEHOLD) ORDINANCE AND IN RE<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">LAND ACQUIRED AT ACCRA FOR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT<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">WORKSHOP OSU MANTSE &amp; ORS. (CLAIMANTS)<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 163<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:
7TH APRIL, 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">

1ST
CLAIMANT IN PERSON. DA ROCHA FOR 2ND CLAIMANT. AKUFO-ADDO FOR 3RD AND 4TH
CLAIMANTS.<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>This
matter came before the Court under section 13 of the Public Lands (Leasehold)
Ordinance, for the Court to determine which of the claimants is (or are)
entitled to compensation for a piece of land acquired by the Government under
Certificate of Title granted by the Court on the 1st February, 1955, by virtue
of section 8 of the said Ordinance.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
principal claimants are the 1st claimant (the Osu Mantse) and the 3rd claimant
(the Acting Gbese Mantse, who claims on behalf of the Ga Stool, the Gbese Stool
and the Korle We Stool). The claims of these two groups are made with reference
to a boundary fixed between them in the judgment of Jackson J., delivered on
the 31st May, 1951, in suits popularly known as the Kokomlemle Consolidated
Suits, and confirmed by a judgment of the West African Court of Appeal (14
W.A.C.A. 676). So far as the dispute between these two principal groups is
concerned, therefore, the matter is res judicata.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The 2nd
claimant, Nii Yeboa Nortey, claims in the dual capacity of head of the Nii
family and Dsasetse of Ashanti Blohum, Osu. He bases his claim upon an alleged
grant made by the Osu Stool to his ancestor, one Nii Tettey Ashong, of lands
known as Kotobabi lands, of which the land acquired is a portion. He says that
the alleged grant was made as a reward for services rendered by the said Nii
Tettey Ashong to the Stool and people of Osu in the Gua (Cape Coast) War, and
in the Katamanso War. The alleged grant, if proved, can only be effective as
regards Osu Stool Lands, and not otherwise; consequently the 2nd claimant’s
claim, if maintainable, can only be in respect of that portion of the land
acquired which can be shown to be on the Osu side of the boundary fixed by the
aforesaid judgment. Therefore, whether as a subject or as a grantee of the Osu
Stool, the 2nd claimant is estopped by reason of the aforesaid judgment from
claiming compensation in respect of any portion of the acquired land falling on
the Accra side of the boundary.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It now
remains to decide the dispute between the 1st and the 2nd claimants as regards
the claim to compensation in respect of the portion of the Osu Stool land
acquired. The 2nd claimant represents a family, or recognised group, in the
Ashanti Blohum (Ashanti Quarter) of Osu. As Dsasetse of Ashanti Blohum he is
head of that quarter, and apart from the Mankralo of Osu himself, he is the
most important constituent of the Mankralo’s Stool. He is bound by any decision
affecting the Mankralo Stool as to lands of the Osu Stool under the control and
management of the Mankralo Stool.<o:p></o:p>Osu Stool
lands, known as Mamobi-Kotobabi-Dzorwulu lands, were the subject of a dispute
between the Osu Stool and the Osu Mankralo Stool in Suit No. 217/1956 (Akwei
&amp; anor. v. Awuletey &amp; anor.). In the judgment delivered in that suit on
the 18th March, 1958, the rights and title according to native custom of the
said two stools, and the interest of subjects of the Osu Mankralo Stool in
these lands, were clearly set out. The decision in that case is binding on both
the 1st and 2nd claimants.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It was
held in that case that while these lands (the Mamobi-Kotobabi-Dzorwulu lands)
are under the care and control of the Mankralo, who is the proper authority to
make, with the concurrence of the heads of the villages, customary grants of
portions of it to subjects or strangers, no valid sale or absolute alienation
in any shape or form could be made of any portion of the said lands without the
knowledge and concurre</main>