OKWAN AND OTHERS vs. AMANKWA [1980]DLHC1616

Date	1980-04-01
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1980]DLHC1616

OKUNOR J.

JAMES MERCER FOR THE DEFENDANTS-APPLICANTS.

AGADZI FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT.

[1980]DLHC1616
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >OKWAN AND OTHERS <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>AMANKWA<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, CAPE COAST] <o:p></o:p>[1980] GLR 417<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:
1
APRIL 1980<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">

JAMES MERCER FOR THE DEFENDANTS-APPLICANTS.<o:p></o:p>

AGADZI 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 windowtext 1.5pt;
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OKUNOR J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF OKUNOR J.<o:p></o:p>On 14
November 1979, the plaintiff in this case sealed a writ in this court directed
against the defendants herein indorsed as:<o:p></o:p>“(a) The
plaintiff as Chief of Brako and of the Kona family of Brako claims against the
defendants jointly and severally, an order for accounts of all moneys collected
by the defendants from the sale of palm trees and from cocoa abusa tenants on
Kona family lands in the Central Region which moneys the defendants have
refused or neglected to account to the plaintiff after repeated demands. (b) An
order for perpetual injunction against the defendants, their servants or their
agents from any further interference with the collection of moneys aforesaid.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
plaintiff filed on the same day, his statement of claim, the relevant portions
of which, were formulated in the following terms:<o:p></o:p>“(1) the
plaintiff is the Chief of Brako near Breman-Asikuma in the Central Region and
also the Akyempenhene of Breman-Asikuma Traditional Area. <o:p></o:p>(2) The
plaintiff comes from the Kona Family of Brako and is the elected chief thereof.
<o:p></o:p>(3) As
the chief, the plaintiff is the custodian of all the family lands in the
Central Region and particularly in the Breman-Asikuma Traditional Area. <o:p></o:p>(4) As
the custodian of the said family lands, the plaintiff or through his agents is
the person entitled to collect abusa dues from cocoa abusa tenants on the said
family lands granted to the said tenants by the plaintiff personally and others
by the predecessors of the plaintiff.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
defendants in their statement of defence admitted paragraphs (1) and (2) of the
statement of claim but “vehemently denied” paragraphs (3) and (4); and in
further answer to the averments therein contained, pleaded in paragraphs (3)
and (4) of the statement of defence:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“(3)
Further to the paragraphs denied, the defendants aver that, the first
defendant, as head of the family to which the plaintiff belongs, is according
to the custom prevailing in that area, and indeed all Akan society, the
custodian of all the family lands in the Central Region and the Breman-Asikuma lands
in particular. (4) Thus the first defendant as the head and custodian of the
family lands is entitled to collect all dues, be they abusa, abunu or otherwise
accruing from the family lands for or on behalf of the family.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It would
appear that at some stage of the proceedings, the court albeit differently
constituted, ruled on the nature of the lands, the subject-matter of the suit,
and although neither counsel has attached a copy of that ruling to this
application, counsel agreed that the court ruled that the lands concerned are
stool family lands and consequently I proceed on that basis.<o:p></o:p>