NANA SARPONG GYAMFI vs. NANA KWAKU DAKORE II [2000]DLSC6428

Date	2000-02-09
Suit No.	WRIT NO. 1/99
Citation No.	[2000]DLSC6428

EDWARD WIREDU J.S.C. (PRESIDING)

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

AMPIAH J.S.C.

ADJABENG J.S.C.

ACQUAH J.S.C.

ATUGUBA J.S.C.

MS. AKUFFO J.S.C.

ELIZABETH OFOSU AGYARE (WITH HER CYNTHIA OPARE) FOR THE APPELLANT

J.A. DAWSON (WITH HIM D.A. OTOO) FOR THE RESPONDENT

[2000]DLSC6428
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >NANA SARPONG GYAMFI<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>NANA KWAKU DAKORE II<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><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%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">WRIT
NO. 1/99 &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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE:
9TH FEBRUARY, 2000<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<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">

ELIZABETH
OFOSU AGYARE (WITH HER CYNTHIA OPARE) FOR THE APPELLANT <o:p></o:p>

J.A.
DAWSON (WITH HIM D.A. OTOO) FOR THE RESPONDENT <o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <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">

EDWARD WIREDU, J.S.C. (PRESIDING)
MRS. J BAMFORD-ADDO, J.S.C. AMPIAH, J.S.C. ADJABENG, J.S.C. ACQUAH, J.S.C.
ATUGUBA, J.S.C. AND 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">

JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>By
his writ of summons issued out of this Court on 10th May, 1999, the Plaintiff
seeks to invoke the original jurisdiction of this Court with the following
endorsement on the writ. <o:p></o:p>1.
A declaration that the Defendant having once been convicted of an offence
involving moral turpitude, is not qualified to be a Chief and cannot therefore
continue to occupy the Gyase Stool or any other Stool of Akyawkrom and Asenua. <o:p></o:p>2.
An order of injunction restraining the Defendant from in any way performing any
functions as a Chief. The writ is accompanied by an 18 paragraphed Statement of
Case the relevant portions of which read as follows: <o:p></o:p>3.
The Defendant acts as the Gyasehene of Akyawkrom and Asenua; he was purportedly
enstooled as such on 22nd August, 1993. <o:p></o:p>4.
The Defendant is also known in private life as Kwaku Okyere. <o:p></o:p>5.
In February, 1986 or thereabout, the Defendant was charged with the offence of
causing harm to a person whose name Plaintiff cannot now supply. <o:p></o:p>6.
The Defendant was arraigned before the Circuit Court, Kumasi presided over by
His Honour M.K. Adzovie. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and the case was
set down for the trial. <o:p></o:p>7.
On 26th February, 1986 the Defendant was found guilty of the charge by His
Honour M.K. Adzovie, was convicted and sentenced to a term of 12 months in hard
labour and ordered to pay fine of ¢20,000.00 or to serve a term of 2 years
imprisonment in default; ¢15,000.00 of which fine if paid was to be given to
the complainant, as compensation. <o:p></o:p>8.
The Defendant appealed against the decision of the Circuit Court to the High
Court, Kumasi. <o:p></o:p>9.
On 22nd October, 1990, the High Court, Kumasi, presided over by His Lordship
Justice K.R. Korsah, dismissed the Defendant’s appeal and ordered that “….. the
appellant shall return to prison to continue to serve his sentence or
sentences.” <o:p></o:p>10.
This conviction took place before the Defendant was purportedly enstooled as a
Chief. <o:p></o:p>11.
However, under Article 275 of the Constitution of Ghana, 1992 ….” a person
shall not be qualified as a Chief if he has been convicted for high treason,
treason, high crime or for an offence involving the security of the State,
fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude. <o:p></o:p>12.
It is the contention of the Plaintiff that the offence for which the Defendant
was convicted involved moral turpitude. <o:p></o:p>13.
Defendant completed the relevant form for submission to the National House of
Chiefs and presented same to the Asantehene who in view of Defendant’s conviction
above-referred to, refused to send Judgments of the Superior Courts 3878
Copyright © DataCenta Ltd. same to the National House of Chiefs. <o:p></o:p>14.
Defendant is not registered at the National House of Chiefs as a Chief. <o:p></o:p>15.
Despite the provision of Article 275 of the Constitution, the Defendant
continues to sit on the Chiefly Stool exercising all the functions as a Chief. <o:p></o:p>16.
The Plaintiff contends that the continued exercise of the functions of a Chief
by the Defendant is inconsistent with and in contravention of the provision of
the Constitution. <o:p></o:p>The
Defendant by his Statement of Case joins issue with most of the averments in
the Plaintiff’</main>