EBUSUAPANYIN KOBINA ABBAN vs. KOBINA BIN AND 2 OTHERS [1999]DLSC6160

Date	1999-02-17
Suit No.	CHIEFTAINCY APPEAL NO. 7/96
Citation No.	[1999]DLSC6160

EDWARD WIREDU J.S.C. (PRESIDING)

MRS. J BAMFORD-ADDO J.S.C.

KPEGAH J.S.C.

ADJABENG J.S.C.

MS. AKUFFO J.S.C.

CHARLES HAYIBOR FOR THE APPELLANTS

MR. OSAFO BUABENG HOLDING AHENKORAH'S BRIEF FOR THE RESPONDENT

WITH HIM MR. DANSO-ACHEAMPONG

[1999]DLSC6160
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >EBUSUAPANYIN
KOBINA ABBAN<o:p></o:p>(PETITIONER/RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>KOBINA BIN AND 2 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>

<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">CHIEFTAINCY APPEAL NO.
7/96&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 17TH FEBRUARY, 1999<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>CHARLES HAYIBOR FOR
THE 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">

MR.
OSAFO BUABENG HOLDING AHENKORAH'S BRIEF FOR THE RESPONDENT, WITH HIM MR.
DANSO-ACHEAMPONG <o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <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" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
115%;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">EDWARD
WIREDU J.S.C. (PRESIDING), MRS. J BAMFORD-ADDO J.S.C., KPEGAH J.S.C., ADJABENG
J.S.C., MS. AKUFFO J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</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="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>EDWARD WIREDU, J.S.C.: <o:p></o:p>This
is an appeal from the judgment of the Judicial Committee of the National House
of Chiefs dated 8th May 1991 which affirmed the decision of the Judicial
Committee of the Central Region House of Chiefs in favour of the Respondent. <o:p></o:p>Two
main submissions were urged on behalf of the appellants in this appeal. The
first was that, the capacity in which the respondent sued, and by which he
claims to have the sole authority and responsibility as the head of the Ntwea
Royal Family to nominate a candidate for installation as the Krontihene of the
Atwia Bando Stool of the Eguafo Traditional Area was one of status and that
both the Judicial Committee of the Central Region House of Chiefs and National
House of Chiefs were not clothed with jurisdiction to adjudicate on and
determine who is the accredited head of Ntwia Abusua in the Eguafo Traditional
Area. It was therefore urged on behalf of the appellant's that the
determination of the issue of headship not being "a cause or matter
affecting chieftaincy" within the language and meaning of the Chieftaincy
Act, Act 370 of 1971 the decision in favour of the Respondent was null and
void. <o:p></o:p>The
second ground urged on behalf of the appellants was that on the merits, two
issues raised on the evidence for resolution by the National House of Chiefs,
were not resolved. i.e. namely the issues as to headship of the Ntwea family
and the issue as to whether the 2nd appellant was nominated by the proper
person to ascend the Bando Stool? We will first deal with the second ground
urged on behalf of the appellants. <o:p></o:p>To
me, the main issues raised for determination, in this appeal are two in number.
<o:p></o:p>(a)
Whether on the evidence, the respondent/petitioner had capacity, or showed a
capacity by which the Chieftaincy Tribunal's conclusion in favour of the
Respondent can be justified or be supported and <o:p></o:p>(b)
Whether the first appellant/respondent to the petition was customarily right to
nominate the queenmother of Bando to ascend the male Krontire stool at a time
she occupies the female stool? This latter act by the 1st appellant provoked
the present action. <o:p></o:p>It
is not in dispute that the determination of "b" supra is a
"cause or matter affecting chieftaincy" within the language and
meaning of the Chieftaincy Act, Act 370 of 1971 which defines a "cause or
matter affecting Chieftaincy by S.66 as follows: In this Act, a "cause or
matter affecting chieftaincy" means any cause, matter, question or dispute
relating to any of the following— <o:p></o:p>(a)
the nomination, election, appointment or installation of any person as a Chief
or the claim of any person to be nominated, elected, appointed or installed as
a Chief. <o:p></o:p>(b)
the destoolment or abdication of any Chief. <o:p></o:p>(c)
the right of any person to take part in the nomination, election, appointment
or installation of any person as a Chief or in the destoolment of any Chief; <o:p></o:p>