MARTIN ALAMISI AMIDU vs. JOHN AGYEKUM KUFUOR, THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL, JAKE OBETSEBI-LAMPTEY, ELIZABETH OHENE AND JOSHUA HAMIDU [2001]DLSC2367

MARTIN ALAMISI AMIDU vs. JOHN AGYEKUM KUFUOR, THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL, JAKE OBETSEB... [2001]DLSC2367

Date	2001-04-25
Suit No.
Citation No.	[2001]DLSC2367

WIREDU AG. CHIEF JUSTICE

MRS. J BAMFORD-ADDO J.S.C

AMPIAH J.S.C

KPEGAH J.S.C

ADJABENG J.S.C

ACQUAH J.S.C.

ATUGUBA J.S.C

MS. AKUFFO J.S.C

LAMPTEY J.S.C

MR. MARTIN ALAMISI AMIDU PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT IN PERSON.

NANA AKUFO-ADDO ATTORNEY-GENERAL WITH HIM MR. S. Y. ANIM MRS. QUANSAH

MR. KUWORNU AND MRS. OWUSU-ADJEI FOR THE DEFENDANTS/APPLICANTS.

[2001]DLSC2367
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MARTIN ALAMISI AMIDU<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>JOHN AGYEKUM KUFUOR,
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL, JAKE OBETSEBI-LAMPTEY, ELIZABETH OHENE AND JOSHUA HAMIDU<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME
COURT]<o:p></o:p>CM
NO. 8/2001<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">

DATE: 25TH APRIL, 2001.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>MR. MARTIN ALAMISI AMIDU,
PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT IN PERSON.<o:p></o:p>NANA AKUFO-ADDO,
ATTORNEY-GENERAL, WITH HIM MR. S. Y. ANIM, MRS. QUANSAH,<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.
KUWORNU AND MRS. OWUSU-ADJEI FOR THE DEFENDANTS/APPLICANTS.<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">

WIREDU
AG. CHIEF JUSTICE MRS. J BAMFORD-ADDO J.S.C., AMPIAH J.S.C., KPEGAH&nbsp; J.S.C., ADJABENG &nbsp;J.S.C., ACQUAH&nbsp;
J.S.C., ATUGUBA&nbsp; J.S.C., MS.
AKUFFO&nbsp; J.S.C., LAMPTEY &nbsp;J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>RULING<o:p></o:p>EDWARD WIREDU, AG. CHIEF
JUSTICE<o:p></o:p>This ruling is the outcome
of a preliminary objection raised on behalf of the Defendants by the Attorney
General on the following grounds:<o:p></o:p>(1) This Court lacks jurisdiction to
entertain the Plaintiffs action against the Defendants herein;<o:p></o:p>(2) That no cause of action is
disclosed by Plaintiff's Writ and the Statement of Case;<o:p></o:p>(3) That the questions raised in the
Plaintiff's action for determination are moot; and for such further or other
Orders as to this Honourable Court may seem it.<o:p></o:p>Article 11 of the 1992
Constitution Provides as follows:—<o:p></o:p>11. (1) The law of Ghana shall
comprise<o:p></o:p>(a) this Constitution;<o:p></o:p>(b) enactment’s made by our under the
authority of the Parliament established by this Constitution;<o:p></o:p>(c) any Orders, Rules and Regulations
made by any person or authority under a power conferred by this Constitution;<o:p></o:p>(d) the existing law; and<o:p></o:p>(e) the common law.<o:p></o:p>From the above it will be
observed that there are five different kinds of laws which are recognised and
enforceable in the courts of Ghana.<o:p></o:p>Each Court in Ghana has
it's own jurisdiction prescribed for it under the laws of Ghana. Some of these
laws are not enforceable directly by invoking the original jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court. Save those specifically provided for under Article 130 (1) and
(2) of the Constitution which read as follows:—<o:p></o:p>ARTICLE 130 (1) Subject to
the jurisdiction of the High Court in the enforcement of the Fundamental Human
Rights and Freedoms as provided in Article 33 of this Constitution, the Supreme
Court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction in:—<o:p></o:p>(a) all matters relating to the
enforcement or interpretation of this Constitution; and<o:p></o:p>(b) all matters arising as to whether
an enactment was made in excess of the powers conferred on Parliament or any
other authority or person by law or under this Constitution.<o:p></o:p>(2) Where an issue that relates to a
matter or question referred to in clause (1) of this Article arises in any
proceedings in a Court other than the Supreme Court, that Court shall stay the
proceedings and refer the question of law involved to the Supreme Court for
determination, and the Court in which the question arose shall dispose of the
case in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court.<o:p></o:p>That there are different
kinds of laws in Ghana in addition to the provisions of the Constitution itself
is also buttressed by Article 1(2) which states in effect that any law which is
inconsistent with any provision of this Constitution is to the extent of such
inconsistency void. See also Article 2 (1) (a).<o:p></o:p>The events which have
provoked this case are provided by the Plaintiff in his Statement of Claim
paragraphs 2 - 7 with particular reference to paragraphs 5 &amp; 6.<o:p></o:p>The said paragraphs read
as follows:—<o:p></o:p>2. The 1st Defendant is the President
of the Republic of Ghana and is being sued as a person whose conduct is
violating the Constitution of Ghana.<o:p></o:p>3. The 2nd Defendant is the
Attorney-General and the Principal Legal Adviser to the Government who is being
sued as the person against whom all civil proceedings affecting the state shall
be instituted.<o:p></o:p>4. The 3rd, 4th and 5th Defendants are
private citizens of Ghana and members of the New Patriotic Part</main>