RICHARD OFOSU-DARKO (PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT) vs. STELLA DEDE MENSAH (DEFENDANT-APPELLANT) [2003]DLCA7505

RICHARD OFOSU-DARKO (PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT) vs. STELLA DEDE MENSAH (DEFENDANT-APP... [2003]DLCA7505

Date	2003-05-16
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. 24/2002
Citation No.	[2003]DLCA7505

OMARI-SASU J.A. (PRESIDING)

OWUSU-ANSAH J.A.

ANIM J.A.

MRS. ACHEAMPONG FOR THE RESPONDENT

TETTEH FOR HEWARD-MILLS FOR THE APPELLANT.

[2003]DLCA7505
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >RICHARD
OFOSU-DARKO<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>STELLA DEDE
MENSAH<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT-APPELLANT)<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;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">CIVIL APPEAL NO.
24/2002&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 16TH MAY, 2003.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MRS.
ACHEAMPONG FOR THE RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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TETTEH FOR HEWARD-MILLS FOR THE
APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>OMARI-SASU
J.A. (PRESIDING), OWUSU-ANSAH J.A., ANIM J.A.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>REASONS
FOR JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;On April 10, 2003 we dismissed the appeal made
by the Defendant-Appellant (hereinafter referred to simply as the Appellant)
and we supported and affirmed the decision of the trial court judge but the
reasons for the decision were deferred. These reasons are now given hereunder.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;On the grounds of appeal the Appellant said:<o:p></o:p>(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
That the evidence of the Surveyor who had
been appointed by the court was not adequately considered.<o:p></o:p>(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;That
the Appellant’s documents and oral evidence were also not adequately
considered, and <o:p></o:p>(iii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The finding that the Appellant was liable to
the Respondent in damages was wrong.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It will, at this stage be necessary to state
the facts of the case which emerged from the record and which the trial learned
judge accepted and used for her decision.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Respondent who had acquired the property
in dispute in or about 1988 had built premises on a large portion of it, walled
3 out of 4 parts of the plot and was living in the premises.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;He had reserved the unwalled 4th part for
future development. He tendered in evidence various documents of title
including Exhibit “J”, LAND CERTIFICATE.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In his testimony supported by the testimonies
of P.W.1 and ‘2’. The trial judge found that the Respondent has been able to
establish and prove title. <o:p></o:p>We
are in complete agreement with this finding. The Appellant on the other hand
tendered certain documents, but these were found not related directly to the
land in dispute.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Further she was neither in possession nor had
she been able to prove title. <o:p></o:p>It
is true that from the testimony of the Surveyor (C.W. 1) there were minor
discrepancies noted and found with the original plans of the litigants but C.W.
1 was able to explain to the satisfaction of the court below how these minor
discrepancies occurred. In conclusion, however it was found, and we agree with
the finding that the land in dispute between the parties is basically one and
the same piece of land. <o:p></o:p>It
was at the stage where the appellant started to develop the disputed land that
the Respondent in possession resisted and after the parties had gone on
unnecessary voyages through the police, the military and some elders, and had
found no solution to their problem that the Respondent in possession sued the
Appellant. <o:p></o:p>The
question to be answered here is simply this:<o:p></o:p><s</main>