[1998]DLSC6424 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; color:#00B0F0">NANA GYAMFI KUMANIN II<i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">(</span></i></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT/ APPELLANT/APPELLANT<b><i>)<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:center 3.25in left 402.0pt"><b><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:#00B0F0">OPANIN KWAKU ANIN<i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:center; line-height:115%;tab-stops:center 3.25in left 402.0pt"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">(</span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">DEFENDANT/APPELLANT/ RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT<i>)<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></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="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">C.A. NO. 4/96 </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> DATE<b>: 3</b>TH MARCH 1998<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">COUNSEL:</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;border:none; mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">MR. BOAFO FOR THE APPELLANT. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;border:none; mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">RESPONDENT IN PERSON.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">CORAM: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">EDWARD WIREDU, J.S.C. (PRESIDING) HAYFRON-BENJAMIN, J.S.C. KPEGAH, J.S.C. ACQUAH, J.S.C. AND ATUGUBA, J.S.C<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in; mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><b><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">EDWARD WIREDU, J.S.C.: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">This appeal is from the decision of the Chieftaincy Tribunal of the National House of Chiefs dated 16th August, 1995. This judgment by a majority of 3 to 2 affirmed the decision of the Ashanti Region House of Chiefs dated 9th March, 1993, in favour of the co-petitioner Respondent who will hereafter be referred to simply as the Respondent. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The Ashanti Regional Houses of Chief by it's decision referred to supra had allowed an appeal brought by the Respondent against the decision of the Judicial Committee of Kumasi Traditional Council which by a majority of 2 to 1 upheld a claim by the petitioner appellant by its judgment dated 31st May, 1991. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The petitioner appellant in this case will hereafter be referred to simply as the appellant.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The main issue raised for determination in this appeal is an answer to the question "Whether there exists a constitutional relationship between the appellant stool and the Asaago Odikro Stool?" The appellant claims that there exits such a relationship and contends that the Asaago Odikro swears the oath of allegiance to him as Taahyenhene to Otumfuo the Asantehene whilst the Respondent by his counter-claim, claims that he is the Head of Family of Asaago Stool. He joined issue with the appellant by an oath contending that the Asaago Stool swears the oath of allegiance direct to the Golden Stool (Asantehene) and that the Asaago Stool is not subservient to the Taahyenhene. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">It is of significance to note here that it is this issue which was determined before the trial Chieftancy Tribunal in Kumasi in favour of the appellant. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The proceedings show that both parties provided evidence traditionally as to how their respective stools came from Denkyira to settle in Ashanti, evidence on matters within living memory both oral and documentary. The appellant provided evidence by himself and three other witnesses including the Obaapanin of Asaago, the present Odikro himself and one Baffour Awuah Gyasehene of Atwimahene. The appellant further tendered in evidence proceedings relating to an action the Obaapanin and Asaago Odikro brought before the Kumasi Traditional Council against him when he purported to remove the Odikro by oath. The proceedings in this action show that the matter was settled and the result was accepted by the parties. The appellant further tendered in evidence a letter sent to him by the Respondent claiming a share of monies realised from the sale of a portion of Asaago lands stating in that letter as follows among others that "We are all your children and we all belong to you." <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The appellant provided evidence to show that Asaago lands were under his control and that he had settled some Northerners on a portion of Asaago land. There was evidence also that the Asaago Odikro swore before the Taahyenhene when the latter was going to swear the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene (Exhibit A). He further provided evidence to show that the Respondent reported to him in the company of the Gyasehene of Atwimahene (PW1) with the thigh of a slaughtered sheep the removal of Asaago Odikro as the latters overlord. The three witnesses of the appellant supported his case substantially in almost all the material facts especially in matters, of recent events within living memory relating to the two stools. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The Respondent provided traditional evidence as to how the Asaago people came to settle in Ashanti from Denkyira and by three other witnesses. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">Traditionally the evidence led on behalf of the co-petitioner Respondent generally accord with the experience in practise that a stranger to Ashanti must first go through an Ashanti Paramount Stool before being introduced to the Asantehene to get settled. To that extent only, the traditional evidence brought by the Respondent as to how his ancestors came to Ashanti appears to be in accord with customary practice but when that evidence however is weighed against recent events as narrated by the appellant as supported by Asaago Obaapanin, the Asaago Odikro himself, the contents of Exhibit B the letter written by Respondent to the appellant such traditional evidence becomes of little significance. It is also not devoid of the usual contradictions and inconsistences associated with this kind of evidence. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&q