WIREDU vs. KOBIA-AMANFI [1991]DLCA2324

Date	1991-04-18
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1991]DLCA2324

AMPIAH JA

AMUAH JA

ADJABENG JJ.A.

AMEGATCHER (WITH HIM MISS O. DJOLETO) FOR THE APPELLANT.

KOBIA-AMANFI (WITH HIM WRIGHT MENSAH) FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[1991]DLCA2324
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >WIREDU<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>KOBIA-AMANFI<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF
APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1991] 1
GLR 517<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 APRIL 1991<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>AMEGATCHER
(WITH HIM MISS O. DJOLETO) FOR THE APPELLANT.<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">

KOBIA-AMANFI
(WITH HIM WRIGHT MENSAH) FOR THE RESPONDENT. <o:p></o:p>

AMPIAH,
AMUAH AND ADJABENG JJ.A. <o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGMENT
OF AMPIAH J.A.<o:p></o:p>By an
agreement entered into between the plaintiff and the Government of Ghana on 23
August 1976, the plaintiff obtained a lease of plots of lands known as Nos. 12
and 14 in the North Dzorwulu Extension, Accra. The lease was duly registered as
No. 3476/1976 and it was for 99 years. The defendant on the other hand claimed
title to plots Nos.14 and 16 in the North Dzorwulu Extension, Accra on the
basis of a grant made to him by one Afua Okyerewah who had obtained her grant
from one Lomoh. Lomoh had obtained her grant by way of a gift from the Osu
stool in May 1961. The only issue which arose from the pleadings and evidence
for determination was, which of the parties had a better title to plot No.14,
North Dzorwulu Extension, Accra? The learned trial judge of the Circuit Court,
Accra on 22 December 1987 found for the plaintiff and declared title in the
plot in him. He dismissed the defendant’s counterclaim. This is an appeal by
the defendant from that decision.<o:p></o:p>The
learned trial judge found that by the gift to Lomoh in 1961, the Osu stool had
divested itself of any interest in the land. He found also that in 1966, Lomoh
sold her interest in the land to Afua Okyerewah. He accepted the evidence that
Afua Okyerewah had sold her land to the defendant who had not succeeded in
having his documents of title registered because the Lands Department had
queried him. He then concluded:<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">“But
since the defendant is claiming through Afua Okyerewah and Lomoh both of whom
have registered documents on the plot, he will be deemed to be in possession of
registered documents on the plot.”<o:p></o:p>These are
findings which are amply supported by the evidence. If therefore the plaintiff
obtained his grant of the same land in 1976, it was quite obvious he could not
have had title to the same land. But the learned trial judge then posed the
issue 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">“What we
are then left with to decide is whether or not Lomoh had any good title to the
land to grant to Afua Okyerewah and if so, whether or not Afua Okyerewah also
had any title to grant to the defendant. To resolve this, I believe it is
pertinent at this stage to decide on the purported acquisition of the land in
dispute among others by the Government of Ghana and its effect on this case.”<o:p></o:p>Relying
on the Accra-Tema City Stool Lands (Vesting) Instrument, 1964 (E.I. 108) the
judge came to the conclusion that by 1964, the whole of Osu lands had been
vested in the Government of Ghana which alone had the authority to grant
portions of Osu land. He concluded:<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">&nbsp;“When in 1966 Lomoh purported to sell this
plot in dispute to Afua Okyerewah by exhibit 10 the land was effectively in the
sole control of the Government of Ghana . . . Thus exhibit 10 was null and void
and passed no title whatsoever to Afua Okyerewah. It follows logically that the
defendant who claims through Afua Okyerewah also got no valid grant. Exhibit A,
I hold, conferred valid title of plot Nos. 12 and 14 on the plaintiff . . .”<o:p></o:p>It is the
contention of counsel for the defendant that this conclusion by the learned
trial judge was wrong. The principal issue which this court has been called
upon to resolve in this appeal is whether or not E.I. 108 of 1964 legally
divested all previous owners of Osu lands of their title to the plots they
have?<o:p></o:p>E.I. 108
of 1964 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">“E.I. 108
<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">ACCRA/TEMA
CITY STOOL LANDS (VESTING) <o:p></o:p>