AGYEKUM vs BOADI [2000]DLSC108

Date	2000-06-14
Suit No.
Citation No.	[2000]DLSC108

AMPIAH JSC

KPEGAH JSC

ADJABENG JSC

ACQUAH JSC

AKUFFO JSC

T A NELSON-COFIE FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

KOBINA DARKO ASIEDU FOR THE DEFENDANT.

[2000]DLSC108
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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">AGYEKUM<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">BOADI<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1999-2000]
2 GLR 1<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black .5pt;padding:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">

</div>COUNSEL:T A NELSON-COFIE FOR THE
PLAINTIFF.KOBINA DARKO ASIEDU FOR THE
DEFENDANT.__________________________________________________________________CORAM:AMPIAH, KPEGAH, ADJABENG,
ACQUAH AND AKUFFO JJSC__________________________________________________________________JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>Acquah JSC. <o:p></o:p>Delivered
the ruling of the court. This is a reference from the Circuit Court, Accra, for
the determination of the following issues:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“(i)
whether or not the deconfiscation order directed by the President of the Fourth
Republic through the Confiscated Assets Committee in respect of the said house
is in contravention of the letter and spirit of the Constitution, 1992,
particularly section 35(1) and (2) of the transitional provisions of the said
Constitution; and <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(ii)
whether or not section 3 of the Confiscated Assets (Removal of Doubt) Law, 1993
(PNDCL 325), is in contravention of section 35(2) of the transitional
provisions of the Constitution, 1992.”<o:p></o:p>The
background to the reference was that one Group Captain P K Agyekum (Rtd)
acquired by way of a lease from the State Housing Corporation in 1960, estate
house No 1153 Awudome Estate, Accra. The estate house was later confiscated by
the erstwhile Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and allocated in
January 1990 to the Office of the State Security and Foreign Affairs for the
use of Ex-WO I Adjei Boadi, a former member of the Government of the AFRC. In a
letter dated 18 April 1997, addressed to the security co-ordinator, the
President directed the deconfiscation and return of the estate house to its
former owner, Group Captain P K Agyekum. On 23 May 1997, another letter was
written requesting the occupant, Ex WO I Adjei Boadi, to vacate the premises
and hand over the keys on or before 30 June 1997. However, Ex-WO I Adjei Boadi
refused to vacate the premises. Accordingly, Group Captain P K Agyekum took out
a writ of summons at the Circuit Court, Accra, claiming against Ex-WO I Adjei
Boadi: (a) recovery of possession of estate house No 1153, Awudome Estate,
Accra; and (b) general damages for trespass or for use and occupation.<o:p></o:p>In
his defence, Ex-WOI Adjei Boadi admitted the fact of the deconfiscation but
challenged the deconfiscation on the grounds that the same was void and invalid
by virtue of the transitional provisions to the Constitution, 1992. On the
basis of this challenge, the above questions, posed for this court’s
determination, were formulated.<o:p></o:p>Now,
the reference papers from the circuit court included: (i) the letter of
allocation of the estate house to the Office of the State Security and Foreign
Affairs; (ii) the letter of deconfiscation dated 18 April 1997; and (iii) the
letter of 23 May 1997 requesting the defendant to vacate the house by 30 June
1997.<o:p></o:p>In
his statement of case, Ex-WO I Adjei Boadi contended that the deconfiscation
was not in line with, or was in contravention of section 35(1) and</main>