MENSAH vs. COFIE [1988]DLHC2279

Date	1988-03-18
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1988]DLHC2279

AMPIAH J.A.

MINGLE FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

TAGOE FOR THE DEFENDANT.

[1988]DLHC2279
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MENSAH<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>COFIE<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1991] 1
GLR 254<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">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:right;
mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">Date: 18 MARCH 1988<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MINGLE
FOR THE PLAINTIFF.<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">

TAGOE FOR
THE DEFENDANT. <o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGMENT
OF AMPIAH J.A.<o:p></o:p>On 1 June
1967, the plaintiff was granted a lease of a plot of land described as plot No.
25, Zoti Residential Area, Korle Gonno, Accra by the Government of Ghana for a
term of 99 years. Under the lease, he was required to develop the land within
two years of taking possession. Although the lease instrument itself (exhibit
A) was executed on 2 February 1973, the plaintiff took possession of the plot
and started paying rent. On 13 July 1973, the plaintiff received a letter from
the regional lands officer threatening re-entry of the land. The plaintiff
petitioned the government about the threat and explained why the land had not
been developed. In the interim, the government had re-entered and granted the
plot by including it in a larger plot to the defendant who started development
on the plot.<o:p></o:p>It would
appear that the plaintiffs petition was rejected even though the government
continued to demand rent from the plaintiff for the plot. The evidence is that
the defendant who had in the interim been given the plot has considerably
developed it.<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiffs claim in this action is for:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;mso-add-space:
auto;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(i).&nbsp;&nbsp; “Declaration of title to all that piece
or parcel of land known as plot No. 25 in the Zoti Residential Area,
Lartebiokorshie, Accra in the Greater Accra Region of the Republic of Ghana
bounded on the north-east by an open space measuring 130 feet, on the
south-east by plots Nos. 28, 28A and 29 measuring 211 feet, on the south-west
by an unnamed road measuring 105 feet and on the north-west by plot No. 23
measuring 183 feet, containing an approximate area of 0.526 of an acre. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;mso-add-space:
auto;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(ii). Perpetual injunction restraining the
defendant, her servants, agents, workmen and assigns from entering the said
land or dealing with it in any way whatsoever. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;mso-add-space:
auto;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(iii).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
General
damages for trespass to the said land.”<o:p></o:p>The
defendant’s reaction to the plaintiff’s claim is simple. So far as she is
concerned, she made a genuine application to the government which validly
granted her a lease of a plot of land which happened to include the
plaintiff’s. She could therefore not be a trespasser.<o:p></o:p>On the
evidence, there could not be any doubt that the plaintiff was granted a lease
of plot No. 25, Zoti Residential Area. The real issue I find in the case is
whether the government properly re-entered the land. If the re-entry was
invalid then the plaintiff remained the lawful lessee of the plot and the
government could not grant the same plot to another person.<o:p></o:p>Clause
3(b) of exhibit A which is identical to clause 3(a) of the lease given to the
defendant, provides:<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">“(b) If
the yearly rent hereby reserved or any part thereof shall be in arrears for
three calendar months whether formally demanded or no</main>