DZABA III vs. TUMFUOR AND OTHERS [1975]DLHC382

Date	1975-11-11
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1975]DLHC382

ANTERKYI J.

DR. O. Y. ASAMOAH FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

AGBESI (WITH HIM AMESIMEKU) FOR THE DEFENDANTS.

[1975]DLHC382
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DZABA III<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;vs. <o:p></o:p>TUMFUOR AND OTHERS<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH
COURT, HO]<o:p></o:p>[1976] 1 GLR 68<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

DATE:
11 NOVEMBER 1975.<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">

DR. O. Y. ASAMOAH FOR THE PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p>

AGBESI (WITH HIM AMESIMEKU) 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">

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

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF ANTERKYI J.<o:p></o:p>In this
suit the plaintiff seeks a declaration that the decision dated 16 May 1968
given by certain sub-chiefs of Kpandu who claimed to have constituted the
Akpini Traditional Council by which he was declared destooled is null and void.
At the close of the pleadings the issues for trial were:<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) Whether the plaintiff is the
Paramount Chief of the Wusuta Traditional Area.<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) Whether the plaintiff was
declared destooled by a committee of the Akpini 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">(3) Whether the judgment
declaring the plaintiff destooled is void.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
plaintiff’s case is that he had been enstooled as the Paramount Chief of Wusuta
on 3 October 1957 and his name had consequently been gazetted. In 1963, a
judicial commissioner sitting with a committee appointed under the provisions of
the Chieftaincy Act, 1961 (Act 81), investigated destoolment charges preferred
against him. By a Local Government Bulletin (No. 4 of 1966) dated 28 January
1966, the proof of the charges preferred against him was confirmed by the
President, and he was to be destooled. His destoolment was therefore
customarily effected in 1966. And he contends that after the destoolment he was
re-installed by the Chieftaincy (Amendment) (No. 3) Decree, 1967 (N.L.C.D.
203). But in 1968, after fresh destoolment charges had been preferred against
him by the first five defendants, the ensuing matter was referred to the Akpini
Traditional Council for investigation. During the pendency of the matter before
a committee of the council he refused to attend the hearing on the ground that
the committee was not properly constituted. The result of these proceedings was
that he was destooled. Before those proceedings were instituted the charges
preferred against him had not been investigated by the stool family.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>With
regard to the decision of that committee of the Akpini Traditional Council, the
district administrative officer had to write a letter to declare its
invalidity. Upon that declaration he had continued in his capacity as a chief,
receiving the allowance payable by the government in respect of that office.
Subsequently, in 1973, he applied to this court for leave to take a certain
action but leave was refused as the application was belated. He had to file a
notice of discontinuance (exhibit A) in respect of his appeal against that
refusal. He had therefore instituted the present proceedings against that
decision of the council by asking for a declaration that that decision or
judgment was null and void.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
judgment of the committee of the Akpini Traditional Council, the constitution
of which is being called to question, is dated 3 May 1968. It is a judgment in
a case No. Al/1968 entitled:<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">“Togbe Buadi (stool father) and
six others of <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">Wusuta .. .. .. .. .. .. &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;Plaintiffs
<o:p></o:p>