REPUBLIC vs. NATIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS AND OTHERS; EX PARTE FAIBIL III AND OTHERS [1986]DLCA991

REPUBLIC vs. NATIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS AND OTHERS; EX PARTE FAIBIL III AND OTHE... [1986]DLCA991

Date	1986-03-26
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1986]DLCA991

FRANCOIS J.S.C

EDWARD WIREDU JA

OSEI-HWERE J.A.

GAISIE (WITH HIM HUGHES AND W. A. N. ADUMUA-BOSSMAN) FOR THE APPELLANT.

ESSEL FOR THE RESPONDENTS.

[1986]DLCA991
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

REPUBLIC <o:p></o:p>

{COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA} <o:p></o:p>

[1984-86] 2 GLR 731<o:p></o:p>

DATE:
26 MARCH 1986<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>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">

GAISIE
(WITH HIM HUGHES AND W. A. N. ADUMUA-BOSSMAN) FOR THE APPELLANT. <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">

FRANCOIS J.S.C, EDWARD WIREDU AND OSEI-HWERE JJ.A.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF EDWARD WIREDU J.A.<o:p></o:p>The
appellant was until the events leading to the proceedings in the High Court,
Accra, which has resulted in this appeal, the Omanhene of Wasa Fiase Traditional
Area with the stool name, Nana Ntsiful Essel IV. The facts before the court
show that he was enstooled on 19 March 1975. A report of that enstoolment was
forwarded to the registrar of the National House of Chiefs on 15 April 1975 by
the Western Regional House of Chiefs under section 15(1) of the Chieftaincy
Act, 1971 (Act 370). The facts further show that along with the report was a
caution letter in the following terms:<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">“Please
note that a petition against the installation of Nana Amihiere Agyiliha as Nana
Ntsiful Essel IV, Omanhene of Wasa Fiase Traditional Area, has been filed
before the judicial committee of this house.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
undisputed evidence shows that the appellant’s enstoolment in spite of the
“warning letter” was published in the Local Government Bulletin No.27 of 20
June 1975. It is therefore clear that from 20 June 1975 the appellant became
the recognised Omanhene of the Wasa Fiase Traditional Area.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
respondents to the appeal are two divisional chiefs in the Wasa Fiase
Traditional Area. They are also kingmakers of the Omanhene stool of that area.
The evidence shows that the two had supported the appellant’s enstoolment from
1975 up to 1982 when they presented their application to the High Court for
mandamus to have the appellant’s name removed from the National Register of
Chiefs.<o:p></o:p>Their
complaint as gathered from the affidavit sworn to by the first respondent on
his own behalf and on behalf of the second respondent (with the authority of
the latter) is in the following language:<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) That
the first applicant and I are divisional chiefs in the Wasa Fiase Traditional
Area, and kingmakers of the paramount stool of Wasa Fiase and members of the
Wasa Fiase 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">(4) That
I am advised and verily believe the same to be true that the first and second
respondents have the legal duty for the registration of chiefs and the
notification in the Gazette or otherwise of the status of persons as chiefs in
Ghana, the third respondent is the agency through which the said public notification
is effected. <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">(5) That
by a circular letter No. N.H.C. 1/S.F. 23 Vol. 1/55 dated 5 June 1974 the
National House of Chiefs admonished the registrars of all regional houses of
chiefs not to despatch CD forms in respect of disputed enstoolment to the National
House of Chiefs for the purpose of public notification of the enstoolment in
the Gazette or Local Government Bulletin. A copy of the said letter is herewith
attached and marked exhibit A. <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">(6) That
the queenmother of the Wasa Fiase paramount stool, Nana Abena Gyedua II, filed
a petition in the regional house of chiefs, Sekondi against the installation of
Nana Amihere Agyiliha as the Omanhene of Wasa Fiase under the stool name of
Nana Ntsiful Essel IV on 14 April 1975. (7) That in spite of paragraphs 5 and 6
above, the registrar of the Western Regional House of Chiefs forwarded the C.D.
Form 2 for the publication o</main>