REPUBLIC vs. PRESIDENT OF GBI TRADITIONAL COUNCIL; EX PARTE TOGBE KWASI BUAMI VII AND OTHERS [1974]DLHC2327

REPUBLIC vs. PRESIDENT OF GBI TRADITIONAL COUNCIL; EX PARTE TOGBE KWASI BUAMI... [1974]DLHC2327

Date	1974-11-07
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1974]DLHC2327

ANTERKYI J.

I. N. K. WUAKU FOR THE APPLICANTS.

ADDO STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[1974]DLHC2327
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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">REPUBLIC <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">PRESIDENT OF GBI TRADITIONAL COUNCIL; EX<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">PARTE TOGBE KWASI BUAMI VII AND OTHERS<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH COURT, HO]<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;[1974] 2 GLR 427<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:
7 NOVEMBER 1974.<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">

I. N. K. WUAKU
FOR THE APPLICANTS.<o:p></o:p>

ADDO,
STATE ATTORNEY, FOR THE RESPONDENT.<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">

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

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF ANTERKYI J.<o:p></o:p>Pursuant
to leave granted on 5 November 1973 the applicants on 9 November filed this
notice of motion for: “ an order of mandamus to issue to compel the President
of the Gbi Traditional Council to submit the names of the applicants herein to
be sworn in as members of the Gbi Traditional Council judicial committee and
for such further order or orders as may seem fit to the court.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>After
service of the notice on the respondent, Togbe Gabusu V, the President of the
Gbi Traditional Council, he filed on 16 January 1974 his affidavit in reply,
attaching thereto copies of three letters as exhibits A, B and C. In his
affidavit the respondent contended that:<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) He,
in his capacity as the President of the Gbi Traditional Council, owed the
applicants no duty to have them sworn as members of the judicial committee of
the council.<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) Save
as to the first applicant, they were not members of the traditional council
because “they have not been gazetted and therefore do not qualify to be invited
to attend the judicial swearing in ceremony of the traditional council.”<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;(3) The first applicant as, admittedly, a
member of the council had “persistently and wilfully refused to attend meetings
of the Gbi Traditional Council,” and on being queried he “still refused to
attend meetings of the council and durbars organised by the Gbi Traditional
Council and also the swearing in ceremony of members of the judicial committee.”<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">(4) It
was apparent from the attitude of the first applicant “that he and his
followers are supporters of the malcontents who have brought up destoolment
charges” against the respondent “and therefore would not like to attend
meetings of the traditional council presided over” by the respondent.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
matter finally fell to be heard on 29 October 1974. On 30 October when
arguments on both sides did close, ruling was reserved.<o:p></o:p>The facts
not denied are as follows: the respondent is the Paramount Chief of the Gbi
Traditional Area, who by virtue of section 13 (1) of the Chieftaincy Act, 1971
(Act 370), has at all times material to these proceedings, been the ex-officio
President of the Gbi Traditional Council. The first applicant Togbe Kwasi Buami
VII, is the Dufia of Kla and senior divisional chief of that traditional area.
The other applicants are, as claimed by them respectively, chiefs of that area.
They had not in fact been recognised as such by the Minister by a notice in the
Local Government Bulletin, even though they have respectively been nominated,
elected, and installed as chiefs.<o:p></o:p>