ATIAFU AND ANOTHER vs. DZAKA [1962]DLHC1685

Date	1962-04-17
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1962]DLHC1685

PREMPEH J.

F. T. C. AMORIN FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.

G. S. LASSEY FOR THE PLAINTIFFS-RESPONDENTS.

[1962]DLHC1685
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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:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">ATIAFU AND ANOTHER <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:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">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:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">DZAKA <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, HO]<o:p></o:p>[1962] 1 GLR 280<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">

DATE:<span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0"> 17TH APRIL, 1962.<o:p></o:p>

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

F.
T. C. AMORIN FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>

G.
S. LASSEY FOR THE PLAINTIFFS-RESPONDENTS.<o:p></o:p>

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

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

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF
PREMPEH J.<o:p></o:p>The claim of the plaintiff-respondents in this matter was as
follows:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“That plaintiffs jointly and severally claim from the defendant
the right title of ownership to all the piece or parcel of farming land with
palm groves situate and lying at Sesekpe known and called Kewuitakpodzi the
bona fide property of the plaintiff’s late great-grandfather by name Atsiafu.
The first plaintiff went and hewed 18 palm trees when defendant caused the
arrest of the first plaintiff for hewing his (defendant’s) eleven (11) palm
trees.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>They then gave boundaries of the land and proceeded:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“First plaintiff therefore claims from the defendant the sum of
£G50 compensatory damages from defendant for the arrest caused.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The trial court heard the parties and their witnesses, and in the
penultimate paragraph of its judgment it recorded as follows:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“Plaintiffs on the whole have established their title of ownership
to the farm land defined in the claim before me; I accordingly found defendant
liable; judgment entered for the plaintiffs for £G20 damages with costs to be
taxed against the defendant.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Upon the appeal coming up for hearing, counsel for the appellant
took a preliminary point that the procedure adopted at the trial was such that
this court should regard the trial as unsatisfactory. Counsel pointed out that
the trial court erred in hearing together the respondents’ claim of title to
the land and also the claim in tort. To substantiate that argument he referred
to passages in the appeal record to show that these issues were actually
adjudicated upon.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In answer to that argument counsel for the respondents maintained
that the real issue which the trial court adjudicated upon was one as to
ownership of the land; that the form of the writ was not to be looked at, and
that this court has power to expunge from the judgment the award of damages
made in favour of the respondents. This argument was said to follow from the
decision of the Supreme Court, Ghana, in the case of Sedzro and Ors. v. Bidigor
and Anor.1(1)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>I think that this is an interesting point. I have considered the
case of Kwamin Akyin v. Essie Egymah2(2) the effect of which is that an
appellate court shall look to the real issue involved between the parties in
the case and not to the form in which an action is brought before a native trial
court. It is to be observed though that the trial court herein is not a native
court or tribunal.<o:p></o:p>