OBENG vs. MANFO [1962]DLSC1608

Date	1962-03-12
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1962]DLSC1608

KORSAH JSC

C.J. JSC

ADUMUA-BOSSMAN JSC

CRABBE J.S.C.

B. J. DA ROCHA FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.

A. W. ACQUAAH FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT.

[1962]DLSC1608
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<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">OBENG <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">MANFO <o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT]<o:p></o:p>[1962] 1 GLR 157<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"> 12TH MARCH, 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">

B.
J. DA ROCHA FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>

A.
W. ACQUAAH FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT.<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">

KORSAH C.J., ADUMUA-BOSSMAN
AND CRABBE, JJ.S.C.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF ADUMUA-BOSSMAN
J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>The action which has led to this appeal was commenced in March,
1958, in the then existing Native Court “B” of Akwatia Area (Akyem Abuakwa) by
the plaintiff-respondent before this court (who will be referred to henceforth
shortly as the plaintiff), and by his writ of summons he claimed (1)
declaration of title to, and (2) recovery of possession of, a parcel of land
with cocoa farm thereon, situate at Anyinabrem, near Osenase, the boundaries
whereof were described in the writ. The trial court gave judgment for him,
declaring that: “We are satisfied that plaintiff cultivated the farm in dispute
and therefore give judgment in his favour declaring to him the right title and
possession of the farm the boundaries of which are described in the writ of
civil summons”.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The defendant-appellant before this court (who is henceforth
referred to shortly as the defendant) appealed to the Akyem Abuakwa Native
Appeal Court (also then existing) which allowed the appeal, set aside the
judgment of the trial court and entered judgment for the said defendant. The
plaintiff then lodged and prosecuted appeal against the native appeal court’s
decision to the Land Court, Accra (Sarkodee-Adoo J., as he then was), which
allowed the appeal, set aside the judgment of the native appeal court and
restored the judgment of the trial court in favour of the plaintiff. It is
against that judgment of the Land Court that the defendant now appeals to this
court on a number of grounds of which the following are those which are of
substance, to wit:<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">(a) The learned judge’s failure to consider counsel’s submission
on the customary law of Atuogya which was material to the issue was wrong in
law.<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">(b) The trial courts and the Land Court’s finding that the
plaintiff cultivated the subject-matter [of the suit] was not sufficient in law
to entitle him to declaration of title and recovery of possession.<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">(c) The plaintiff-respondent-appellant-respondent failed in his
duty to establish that he was entitled to declaration of title and recovery of
possession.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In order to appreciate the relevancy and force of these grounds,
it is necessary to consider firstly the respective cases of the parties.<o:p></o:p>The plaintiff’s case was that whilst he and his parents were
settled in Osenase, about 40 years ago, when he was a young boy about fifteen
or sixteen years old, he obtained the consent of the Osenase stool and
cultivated the farm in dispute with the assistance of a sister called Ama
Ohenewa now deceased; that sometime after he had made the farm, his parents and
all the Juabeng settlers who were settled at Osenase had a dispute with the
Osenasehene and his people which resulted in the Juabengs being obliged to go
away from Osenase and abandon all their real properties, houses and farms,
which with the permission of the Osenase stool, they, the Juabeng settlers had
built and/or made on Osenase stool land.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The plaintiff in the course of his evidence on this point, stated
as follows: “The Ohene of Osenase took possession of the farms of all the
Juabeng people. My farm was also taken by the chief”. His further case, in his
own words, was the following:<o:p></o:p>