WEST AFRICAN ENTERPRISES LTD vs. WESTERN HARDWOOD ENTERPRISE LTD [1996]DLCA630

Date	1996-04-18
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1996]DLCA630

ACQUAH JSC

ATUGUBA JSC

SAPONG JA

JAMES AHENKORAH FOR THE PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT.

BODZA-LUMOR FOR THE FIRST DEFENDANT-RESPONDENT.

SEKYI-HUGHES (PAPA OWUSU ANKOMAH WITH HIM) FOR THE SECOND DEFENDANT-RESPONDENT.

[1996]DLCA630
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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">WEST AFRICAN ENTERPRISES LTD<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">WESTERN HARDWOOD ENTERPRISE LTD<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1995-96] 1 GLR 155<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
1996<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>JAMES AHENKORAH FOR THE PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>BODZA-LUMOR FOR THE FIRST DEFENDANT-RESPONDENT.<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">

SEKYI-HUGHES (PAPA OWUSU
ANKOMAH WITH HIM) FOR THE SECOND DEFENDANT-RESPONDENT. <o:p></o:p>

ACQUAH AND ATUGUBA JJSC AND
SAPONG JA<o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGMENT OF ACQUAH JSC.<o:p></o:p>In 1968 the Apowa stool represented by Nana Amoa Gyebu XIII leased
a portion of the stool’s land to the Takoradi Brewery Ltd (TBL) for its
business. The boundaries of the land leased, which are not disputed, are as
follows: on two sides by land belonging to the Apowa stool, on another side by
the Whin River and on another side by the Takoradi-Apowa motor road. Takoradi
Brewery Ltd went into possession of the land and put up some buildings thereon.<o:p></o:p>Not long thereafter, around 1970, TBL became indebted to one Leory
Francis who instituted a court action for the recovery of the debt, obtained
judgment and caused the property of TBL to be sold by public auction. The West
African Enterprises Ltd (WAEL) bought the right, title and interest of TBL in
the lease. A certificate of purchase tendered as exhibit A in this action was
issued to evidence the purchase. The WAEL then took over the leasehold
property.<o:p></o:p>In 1986 the Western Hardwood Enterprise Ltd (WHEL) entered this
property and took over possession, alleging that the Apowa stool had leased
that same area to them for 50 years. After unsuccessful discussions to resolve
the matter, the WAEL took out a writ of summons at the High Court, Sekondi
against WHEL as the first defendant and Nana Amoa Gyebu XIV, the Apowa stool
chief who leased out the property to WHEL as the second defendant, claiming:<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:l0 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(i).&nbsp;&nbsp; “Unlawful interference with
the plaintiff’s rights and interest in respect of land at Apowa. <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:l0 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(ii). Damages for trespass. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
5.0pt;margin-left:.75in;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;
An order for perpetual injunction restraining the defendants,
their agents, servants, workmen and assigns from in any way interfering with
the plaintiff’s said rights and interest in the land.”<o:p></o:p>In their statement of claim, WHEL pleaded the facts as stated
earlier but further pleaded that when it took over the lease property of TBL,
it paid the rent due under it to the Lands Department, and remained in
possession for over ten years before WHEL entered and drove its men from the
land.<o:p></o:p>In its statement of defence, the first defendant, WHEL, admitted
the boundaries of the land as pleaded by the plaintiff and further admitted
that the land was originally leased to TBL by the Apowa stool. The first
defendant then pleaded that it approached the Apowa stool in 1984 for a land to
run its business. The stool granted a lease of 77.13 acres of land to it. But
before the grant, it conducted a search at the lands Department, Sekondi and
found from the search that part of the land was leased to TBL in 1969 but that
the lease was not concurred in by the government. The search further disclosed
that the Apowa stool re-entered the land in 1983 on the ground that TBL did not
develop the land. Relying on the search, a lease dated 2 August 1984 was
executed. The first</main>