DZASIMATU AND OTHERS vs. DOKOSI AND OTHERS [1994]DLSC725

Date	1994-03-02
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1994]DLSC725

FRANCOIS JSC

AMUA-SEKYI JSC

AIKINS JSC

CHARLES HAFYFRON-BENJAMIN JSC

AMPIAH JSC

P K TWUMASI FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPELLANTS.

W A N ADUMUA-BOSSMAN FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENTS.

[1994]DLSC725
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">DZASIMATU AND OTHERS<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">DOKOSI AND OTHERS<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1993-94] 1 GLR 463<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: 2 MARCH
1994<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>P K TWUMASI FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPELLANTS.<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">

W A N ADUMUA-BOSSMAN FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENTS. <o:p></o:p>

FRANCOIS, AMUA-SEKYI, AIKINS, CHARLES HAFYFRON-BENJAMIN AND AMPIAH
JJSC<o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGMENT OF AMUA-SEKYI JSC<o:p></o:p>On the death of Kwaku Agbada, Mankrado of Gbadzeme and occupant of
what the plaintiffs call the Edzekpa Kofi stool, and the defendants, the Kofi
stool, the plaintiffs enstooled one Christian Dokosi in his stead. They
introduced the new chief to Regent Peniana Dzobo who accepted him. It is said
that some days later, the defendants also enstooled one Theodore Dzasimatu and
introduced him to the regent who accepted him. The regent then called the two
sides together to try to resolve the issue of who was entitled to sit on the
stool. It is said by the plaintiffs that even though at this meeting the
defendants were unable to establish their relationship with the Kofime clan to
which the plaintiffs belong, pressure was brought to bear on them to accept the
candidature of Theodore Dzasimatu. The plaintiffs reluctantly agreed to do so
and accepted Theodore Dzasimatu as having been duly enstooled.<o:p></o:p>A year later, differences arose between the two families when the
defendants asked that the name of the stool be changed from Edzepa Kofi to Kofi
and lodged a complaint against them before Peniana Dzobo. Unwilling to appear
once again before Dzobo, the plaintiffs made their complaint to Togbe Adja
Tekpor VI, Paramount Chief of Avatime. It is said that the latter found in
favour of the plaintiffs and ordered the defendants to restore the stool to
them. The plaintiffs tendered in evidence as exhibit A a document which
confirmed those findings and also indicates that the defendants asked for and
received the sum of ten cedis being expenditure incurred by them on a state
umbrella and a cap. However, when the plaintiffs took steps to have their
candidate gazetted as a chief, the defendants raised an objection at the Volta Regional
House of Chiefs. Thus, the plaintiffs were compelled to commence this action to
have the dispute resolved in a judicial manner.<o:p></o:p>By their writ issued in 1976 in the Hokpe Traditional Council, the
plaintiffs claimed the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.75in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(1). “A declaration that the
plaintiffs’ Dokosi family of the Kofime clan are the rightful owners of the
Edzekpa Kofi or mankrado stool of Gbadzeme Avatime and that the plaintiffs’
family are the persons entitled by custom to elect and install the occupant of
the Edzekpa Kofi stool or the mankrado of Gbadzeme. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.75in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(2). A declaration that the
plaintiffs’ Dokosi family of the Kofime clan are the persons entitled to elect
and install the queenmother of Gbadzeme. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.75in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(3). To set aside an alleged
constitutional settlement made by a body of alleged arbitrators headed by
Regent Peniana Dzobo on 22 August 1967 between the plaintiffs and the
defendants’ predecessor, Vincent Dzasimatu (Decd) on the grounds of: <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.0in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(a).&nbsp; Bias. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:1.0in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(b).