KARMAH vs. MANZA [1982]DLHC2148

Date	1982-03-19
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1982]DLHC2148

ANSAH-TWUM J.

KOBENA ACQUAYE FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

EBOW BENTSI-ENCHILL FOR THE DEFENDANT.

[1982]DLHC2148
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >KARMAH <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>MANZA <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, SEKONDI]<o:p></o:p>[1982-83] GLR 1159<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 MARCH 1982<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">

KOBENA ACQUAYE FOR THE PLAINTIFF. <o:p></o:p>

EBOW BENTSI-ENCHILL FOR THE DEFENDANT.<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 1.0pt 0in">

ANSAH-TWUM J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF ANSAH-TWUM J.<o:p></o:p>By an
originating summons the plaintiff claims from the defendant herein, the
following reliefs:<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.
Redemption of house No. 130/3, Kwesimintsim Zongo, near Takoradi. 2.
Re-conveyance of house No. 130/3, Kwesimintsim Zongo, near Takoradi to the
plaintiff. 3. Delivery of possession by the mortgagee defendant, to the
mortgagor plaintiff. 4. An order for an account.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>By his
affidavit in support of the summons filed on 16 December 1980, the plaintiff
claims that he did on 1 September 1970 mortgage his house No. 130/3
Kwesimintsim to the defendant, as mortgagee to secure the sum of ¢1,080 which
he owed the defendant. Apparently, the plaintiff could not redeem the property
and upon an application by the defendant herein, an order for possession issued
by the circuit court on 13 March 1971 was sealed in favour of the defendant.
The defendant did immediately thereafter move into possession of the said house
and has ever since remained in possession of the premises comprising nine
rooms. The plaintiff has made attempts to redeem the property without success,
even after due notice offering to pay ¢2,160 being the principal debt plus
other expenses and interest, at the rate of ten per cent. The plaintiff is
therefore now ready and willing to pay every pesewa due on the mortgage and
redeem his said house from the defendant herein.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Paragraph
11 of the defendant’s affidavit in opposition reads as follows:<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">“11. That
even though possession of the said house was granted to the defendant on the
grounds of a mortgage, which was denied by the plaintiff, the defendant has
since relied on the plaintiff’s concurrent offer of forfeiture of the security
and the defendant has accepted the property in satisfaction of the debt over
due, upon the plaintiff’s default in payment of the amount due and owing.
Indeed the defendant has already spent about ¢10,000 in making cement blocks
alone, for the improvement of the property.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
defendant contends further that the plaintiff had waived any rights he might
have had under the mortgage deed and the plaintiff is therefore estopped from
making the claim he is presently making.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The main
question therefore is, was there ever a valid mortgage deed executed between
the parties herein in respect of the house in question? Secondly, if there was
ever any such mortgage, has the plaintiff lost his right of redemption under
the mortgage deed? It seems to me that we must at this stage examine the
document, exhibit 1, which the plaintiff exhibited as the mortgage deed he
referred to in his affidavit in support of the summons. There is no doubt whatsoever
that the document filed by the plaintiff as exhibit 1 is a mortgage deed. Some
of the first words of this deed read as follows, among other things, “This
mortgage is made 1 September 1970 between Kwesi Karmah... called the mortgagor
. . . and Ewuah Manza trader . . . called the mortgagee . . .” Paragraphs 2 and
3 of the recital runs thus:<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.
Whereas the mortgagor is indebted to the mortgagee for advance made to him
making a total sum of ¢1,080. 3. Whereas the mortgagee has agreed to forbear to
press for payment of the said sum of ¢1,080 for two months from 1 September
1970 to 31 October 1970 on having the payment thereof secured in the manner
hereinafter appearing:<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">