AKUNOR vs. OKAN [1976]DLCA1225

Date	1976-07-19
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1976]DLCA1225

AMISSAH JA

KINGSLEY-NYINAH JA

HAYFRON-BENJAMIN J.A.

P. A. ADJETEY FOR THE APPELLANT.

MILLS LAMPTEY FOR THE RESPONDENT

[1976]DLCA1225
																																						<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" >AKUNOR <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>OKAN <o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1977] 1 GLR 173<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:
19 JULY 1976<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">

P. A. ADJETEY FOR THE APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>

MILLS LAMPTEY 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">

AMISSAH, KINGSLEY-NYINAH AND HAYFRON-BENJAMIN
JJ.A.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF AMISSAH J.A.<o:p></o:p>Madam
Atwei Akunor brought this action against Madam Sarah Odua Okan. The plaintiff
claimed a piece of land situated at Labadi which she said was given to her as
long ago as in 1936 by Nii Ofori Kwei, head of the Dzrase quarter of Labadi.
The grant was made according to custom. On 12 September 1960, this grant, the
plaintiff said, was evidenced in writing by a deed of conveyance. She had been
in physical occupation of the land since shortly after the customary grant in
1936 without disturbance until about 1962 when the defendant began to interfere
with her enjoyment of it. The plaintiff therefore asked for a declaration of
title to the land and the usual order of perpetual injunction restraining the
defendant and her agents from disturbing her in her occupation and use of the
land in dispute.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Madam
Odua Okan, the defendant, of curse resisted the claim. She had got the land by
way of a customary grant from no one else than the self same Nii Ofori Kwei in
about 1942. Mango trees claimed to have been planted by the plaintiff were, the
defendant said, planted not by the plaintiff but by herself, the defendant, and
her licensees. Besides, and this turned out to be a crucial point in the case,
in about April 1960, after the plaintiff had interfered with the defendant’s
rights to the land, there was an arbitration before the La Mantse and his
principal elders. The award of the arbitrators was in favour of the defendant.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Issues
were joined before Abban J. on these rival stories. He found for the defendant.
That decision does not please the plaintiff so she has come before us in an
effort to prove the learned judge wrong and to vindicate her case. The point
most strenuously pressed in this appeal was in respect of the arbitration. I am
sure it is appreciated that if that issue is settled against the plaintiff then
cadit quaestio.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Learned
counsel for the plaintiff argued that the alleged arbitration before the La
Mantse and his elders did not conform to the requirements of a valid customary
arbitration. Accordingly the trial judge misdirected himself in holding that
the alleged arbitration was valid. Reference was made to the requisites of a
voluntary arbitration as laid down in the case of Budu II v. Caesar [1959]
G.L.R. 410 at p. 412. It will be recalled that in that case Ollennu J. (as he
then was) held, as stated in the headnote, that the following essential
characteristics distinguished an arbitration from negotiations for a
settlement:<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">“(i) a
voluntary submission of the dispute by the parties to arbitrators for the
purpose of having the dispute decided informally, but on its merits: <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">(ii) A
prior agreement by both parties to accept the award of the arbitrators; <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">(iii) The
award must not be arbitrary, but must be arrived at after the hearing of both
sides in a judicial manner; <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">(iv) The
practice and procedure for the time being followed in the Native Court or
Tribunal of the area must be followed as nearly as possible; and <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">(v) Publication
of the award.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>