ABABIO AND OTHERS vs. KARIKARI AND ANOTHER [2002]DLSC1069

Date	2002-06-19
Suit No.
Citation No.	[2002]DLSC1069

AMPIAH JSC

KPEGAH JSC

ACQUAH JSC

ATUGUBA JSC

ADZOE JSC

W A N ADUMUA-BOSSMAN FOR THE DEFENDANTS-RESPONDENTS-APPELLANTS.

FRIMPONG BOADU FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENTS-CROSS-APPELLANTS.

[2002]DLSC1069
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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">ABABIO AND OTHERS<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">KARIKARI AND ANOTHER<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[2001-2002] 1 GLR 381<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>W A N ADUMUA-BOSSMAN FOR THE DEFENDANTS-RESPONDENTS-APPELLANTS.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">FRIMPONG BOADU FOR THE
PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENTS-CROSS-APPELLANTS.
<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">AMPIAH, KPEGAH, ACQUAH,
ATUGUBA AND ADZOEJJSC<o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>Ampiah JSC. <o:p></o:p>This is an appeal from the decision of the National House of
Chiefs, Kumasi given on 18 June 1998. For ease of reference, since both parties
are appellants before this court, I would refer to them in this my judgment
simply as the plaintiffs and the defendants.<o:p></o:p>On or about 18 December 1986 the plaintiffs by an oath, “Wukuda
and Kwanyako” of the people of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, initiated
chieftaincy proceedings at the judicial committee of the Akyem Abuakwa
Traditional Council. By that oath they claimed that:<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">“(1) . . . the nomination, election and installation of the third
defendant as the queenmother of Kwabeng is null and void as being against
custom. <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">(2) . . . the first and second defendants herein purporting to
nominate, elect and install the third defendant as the queenmother without the
consent, concurrence and parti cipation of the plaintiffs and their respective
families have acted uncustomarily and as such the said nomination, election and
installation is null and void and of no effect. <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">(3) A perpetual injunction restraining the third defendant from
claiming or presenting herself or both anywhere and in whatever circumstances
as the queenmother of Kwabeng or acting in that behalf.”<o:p></o:p>This matter which initially involved the queenmother stool of
Kwabeng, widened in substance to include both the male and the female stools of
Kwabeng, and for that matter, the gyase divisional stool of the Akyem Abuakwa
Traditional Area.<o:p></o:p>I think for a better understanding and appreciation of the issues
in this case, a brief history of the case would be desirable. Akyem Kwabeng is
within the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area whose capital is Kyebi. The paramount
chief (Omanhene) of the area is the Okyenhene who resides at Kyebi. The chief
(odikro) of Kwabeng is also the gyasehene (a divisional chief) of the Akyem
Abuakwa Traditional Area. The people of Kwabeng according to their history
migrated from various parts of the country, notably Adanse.<o:p></o:p>The first plaintiff claims to be the head of the Mmabaduam section
of the Asona royal family of Kwabeng. The second plaintiff also claims to be
the head of the Kokobeng section of the same family. This action was instituted
by the plaintiffs as the accredited representatives of the Mmabaduam and
Kokobeng sections of the Asona royal family. The first defendant is the
incumbent ohene (chief) of Kwabeng and the gyasehene of the Akyem Abuakwa
Traditional Area. The second defendant is the head of the Akanwenem section of
the Asona royal family of Kwabeng and the third defendant whose installation
sparked off this litigation claims to have been installed as the queenmother to
the first defendant’s stool. Both the first and third defendants also come from
the Akanwenem section of the Asona royal family.<o:p></o:p>According to the plaintiffs, on or about 17 March 1986 at Kwabeng,
the first and second defendants purported to have nominated, elected and
installed the third defendant as the queenmother of the Kwabeng stool. That,
the plaintiffs claimed, had been done “without the consent, concurrence and
participation of the plaintiffs and their respective families . . .” as was
demanded by custom. The plaintiffs claimed that the Asona royal stool from
which candidates are chosen for enstoolment as the Kwabenghene or the
queenmother belonged jointly to the three houses, namely, Akanwenem, Mmabaduam
and Kokobeng. Consequently, they contended, the nomination, election and
installation of the third</main>