DAVIES vs. RANDALL AND ANOTHER [1964]DLHC1894

Date	1964-12-17
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1964]DLHC1894

KORANTENG-ADDOW J.

C. F. HAYFRON-BENJAMIN (S. BAIDOO WITH HIM) FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

F. AWOONOR-WILLIAMS (L. B. AKAINYAH WITH HIM) FOR THE DEFENDANTS.

[1964]DLHC1894
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DAVIES<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;vs. <o:p></o:p>RANDALL AND ANOTHER <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, SEKONDI]<o:p></o:p>[1964] GLR 671<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:
17 DECEMBER 1964.<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">

C. F. HAYFRON-BENJAMIN (S. BAIDOO WITH HIM) FOR
THE PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p>

F. AWOONOR-WILLIAMS (L. B. AKAINYAH WITH HIM) FOR
THE DEFENDANTS.<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">

KORANTENG-ADDOW J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF KORANTENG-ADDOW J.<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiff brought this action in his capacity as heir and successor to the late
L. T. C. Davies and as representing the other children of the said Davies,
claiming: (i) a declaration that the deed of sale executed on 19 January 1953
between the first defendant and the administratrix, Fanny Margaret Davies, and
also the subsequent lease executed between the first and second defendants are
null and void; and (ii) £G1,500 as damages suffered as a result of the
defendant’s trespass on the said land and the demolition of the buildings
thereon. He elaborated on this claim by statement of claim filed with his writ
on 24 February 1961 and which I quote in extenso hereunder:<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">“(1) On
or about 16 September 1919, the late L.T.C. Davies bought all that piece or
parcel of land situate at Sekondi, bounded on the north by a street running
between it and on open space near the Lagoon Asamansu, on the south by Poasi
Road, on the east by land running between it and Ajala’s house, on the west by
Tenth Street which said piece or parcel of land was shown on a plan annexed to
the relevant deed of conveyance registered in the deeds registry as No.
753/1919. <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">(2) The
said L. T. C. Davies died intestate on 21 December 1919 and letters of
administration were granted to his widow Fanny Margaret Davies on 6 September
1920. <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">(3) The
said L. T. C. Davies was a native of Sierra Leone and, in accordance with the
lex successionis, the plaintiff, being his eldest legitimate son, is his rightful
heir and entitled to succeed to every landed property of the deceased on his
death intestate and to control and manage same for the benefit of himself and
all the other children plus the widow.<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">&nbsp;(4) Apart from the plaintiff the late L. T. C.
Davies was survived by five other legitimate children viz:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:1.0in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(i) Lucy Davies who died later in 1948;
<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:1.0in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(ii) George Davies who died in 1921; <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:1.0in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(iii) Fanny Davies who died in 1928; <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:1.0in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(iv) Kwesi Dolphine who is still alive
and <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:1.0in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(v) Susana Davies who is, still alive.<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">(5) The
first defendant, Europa Judith Randall, with full knowledge of the plaintiff’s
claim but acting in collusion with the said administratrix Fanny Margaret
Davies, purported to buy the property described in paragraph (1) supra from the
administratrix and an indenture was executed on 19 January 1953 between them
without the knowledge, consent and concurrence of the plaintiff and the other
surviving children. (6) The first defendant subsequently leased the said
property to the second defendants BP (West Africa) Ltd. in spite of the
plaintiff’s protest to the first defendant and a representative of the second
defendants in the latter part of 1959 when both were seen inspecting the said
land. Furthermore a letter of protest forwarded by the plaintiff’s solicitor to
the second defendants was ignored by the latter who instead of desisting rather
pulled down the buildings on the land and started erecting a petrol filling
station on the land in dispute. <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">(7)
Wherefore the plaintiff claims against the</main>