IN THE MATTER OF CHIEFTAINCY ACT 1971 (ACT 370) AND IN THE MATTER OF NANA KOFI MENSAH (GYASEHENE OF BANDA) AND OTHERS vs. OPANIN KWADWO WOROSA @ KWODWO KUMA (SUB. BY KWADWO FORDJOUR) AND 2 ORS. vs. OSABARIMA OKOKYEREDOM KWADWO SITO I, EX PARTE: OPANIN KWADWO FORDJOUR [2000]DLCA6722

IN THE MATTER OF CHIEFTAINCY ACT 1971 (ACT 370) AND IN THE MATTER OF NANA KOFI M... [2000]DLCA6722

Date	2000-05-11
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. 154/99
Citation No.	[2000]DLCA6722

SSILFIE-BONDZIE JA. (PRESIDING)

TWUMASI JA.

FARKYE JA

MR. W. Y. OPPONG FOR APPLICANT/APPELLANT.

MR. E. ASAFU-ADJEI FOR RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT.

[2000]DLCA6722
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >IN THE MATTER OF
CHIEFTAINCY ACT 1971 (ACT 370)<o:p></o:p>AND<o:p></o:p>IN THE MATTER OF NANA
KOFI MENSAH (GYASEHENE OF BANDA) AND OTHERS<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>OPANIN KWADWO WOROSA @
KWODWO KUMA (SUB. BY KWADWO FORDJOUR) AND 2 ORS.<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>OSABARIMA OKOKYEREDOM
KWADWO SITO I, EX PARTE: OPANIN KWADWO FORDJOUR <o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<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">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 154/99&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 11TH MAY, 2000<o:p></o:p>

MR.
E. ASAFU-ADJEI FOR RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>ESSILFIE-BONDZIE, JA. <o:p></o:p>This
is an appeal lodged by Opanin Kwadwo Fordjour (hereinafter called the
Appellant) against the Ruling of the High Court Sunyani delivered on the 9th
August 1999. Osabarima Okokyeredom Kwadwo Sito I is the Respondent. <o:p></o:p>The
legal proceedings which culminated in the Ruling being assailed were commenced
by the appellant in pursuance of a leave granted to have Osabarima Okokyeredom
Kwadwo Sito (Respondent) committed to prison for being in contempt and
disregard of the decisions of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, of the
National House of Chiefs and the Supreme Court. The complaint was that the
Respondent sought to portray, hold and parade himself as the Paramount Chief of
the Banda Traditional Area and that on the 29/12/98 rode in a palanquin amid
drumming, singing and merry making as the Paramount Chief of the Banda
Traditional Area. <o:p></o:p>It
is patently clear from the record of proceedings that there had been a
protracted chieftaincy dispute between the Kralongo Royal Family of Banda and
the Petelli Royal Family of Banda Kabrono. In the course of their history Nana
Dwuru II from the Kralongo Family occupied the stool from 1936-1977. On the
death of Nana Dwuru II however the Kralongo Royal Family refused to hand over
the Black Stool to the Petelli Family to enable them to enstool Nana Worosa of
Petelli Family) for as claimed by the Petelli Royal Family the system of
ascension to the Banda Paramount Stool is rotatory i.e. if a member of Kralongo
Family occupies the stool and dies the stool automatically goes to the Petelli
Family whose elders elect one of them to ascend to the stool and vice-versa. <o:p></o:p>The
evidence on record revealed that on the death of Nana Dwuru II the Petelli
Royal House purporting to enstool Nana Worosa in compliance with the rotatory
system requested the Kralongo Royal Family who were in possession to hand over
the Black Stool, the symbol of the Paramount Stool, to the Petelli Family to
enable Nana Worosa to become the Paramount chief of the Banda Traditional Area.
The undisputed facts disclose that the Kralongo Royal Family refused to hand
over the Black Stool. Instead the elders of Kralongo Family claiming to be
king-makers of the Banda stool enstooled one George<o:p></o:p>Miller
from the same Kralongo Family as Omanhene of Banda under the name of Nana Kofi
Dwuru III. <o:p></o:p>When
the Petelli Family complained about this act the Kralongo Family responded by
filing a petition in the Brong Ahafo House of Chiefs against Nana Worosa’s
enstoolment to be declared null and void “as he has not been nominated, elected
and installed as Banda Omanhene by the Kingmakers”. The Petelli Family who were
the Respondent and who are the appellants in this appeal counter-claimed and
sought the following reliefs <o:p></o:p>“(a) An order compelling the 1st, 3rd,
4th, and 5th Petitioners to hand over the paramount stool of Banda to the
Petelli Royal House in accordance with custom. <o:p></o:p>(b) A declaration that the alleged
installation of George Miller alias Kwadwo Miller as the Omanhene of Banda is
contrary to Banda custom, unconstitutional and therefore void and without
effect”. <o:p></o:p>The
Brong Ahafo House of Chiefs heard evidence after a critical evaluation and
analysis of some declared the enstoolment of George Miller as null and void and
entered judgment for the present appellants on their counterclaim. The tribunal
ordered the Kralongo Royal Family of Banda to convey the Paramount Black Stool
to the Petelli Royal House in accordance with custom and this was to be done on
or before the 15/11/88. <o:p></o:p>It
is on record that not satisfied the Petitioners led by Nana Kofi Mensah
(Gyasehene of Banda) and others lodged an appeal against the decision at the
National House of Chiefs, which said house confirmed the decision of the Brong
Ahafo House of Chiefs. The Petitioners again appealed to the Supreme Court and
here again their appeal was dismissed. <o:p></o:p>It
is clear from the record that the issues which were raised for the
determination of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs were: <o:p></o:p>(a)
Which customary body or institution is responsible for enstooling the occupant
of the Banda Paramount Stool. <o:p></o:p>