DE-GAUL (PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT) vs. KWASI ADDAE & 3 ORS (DEFENDANTS/RESPONDENT) [2004]DLCA7431

Date	2004-06-04
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL H1/48/2004
Citation No.	[2004]DLCA7431

ARYEETEY J.A. (PRESIDING)

AMONOO-MONNEY J.A.

ANIM J.A.

C.K. MINTAH FOR APPELLANT

ASARE BEDIAKO FOR RESPONDENTS.

[2004]DLCA7431
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DE-GAUL<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT)<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>KWASI ADDAE &amp; 3 ORS<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/RESPONDENT)<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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

CIVIL
APPEAL H1/48/2004&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; &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: 4TH JUNE, 2004<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">

C.K.
MINTAH FOR APPELLANT <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;
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</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">

</div>AMONOO-MONNEY
J.A.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;By
the nature of this appeal and the matters relevant to a determination of the
appeal, it is not necessary to give a detailed account of the facts of the case
or the background to the appeal. <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>2. The appellant, on 7th November, 1994, as
plaintiff ("For himself and on behalf of his brothers and sisters")
commenced an action in the Circuit Court in Kumasi against the respondents, as
defendants, claiming against them jointly and severally (sic)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;(a) A declaration that by virtue of paragraph
3 of the last Will of the plaintiff's father Opanin Kwaku Nsiah the plaintiff
and all the children of the late Kwaku Nsiah are the owners of all the rooms in
the ground floor of House No. Plot 5 Block 14 Amakom, Kumasi. <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>(b)
A declaration that there was no gift of the devise mentioned in paragraph 3 of
the Will of Opanin Kwaku Nsiah (deceased) to the 2nd (sic) and 3rd Defendants
and an order directed to the 1st and 2nd defendants to vest the said devise
unto the plaintiff and all the beneficiaries as mentioned in paragraph 3 of the
said Will". The 3rd and 4th defendants are also children of Opanin Kwaku
Nsiah.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;3.
The Defendants filed their Statement of Defence on 23rd January, 1995 whiles
the plaintiff filed a Reply on 23rd February, 1995 and on the same day also
took out a Summons For Directions. The defendants, on 30th January, 1997 filed
a "Motion On Notice" to amend their Statement of Defence by adding a
counterclaim and the documents on this application were duly served on the
solicitor for the plaintiff, but on 23rd April, 1997 the defendants filed a
Motion Ex Parte for an order of service by substitution of the "Hearing
Notice for the Motion On Notice for leave to amend the Statement of
Defence". This ex parte application was granted on 28th April, 1997 by the
trial Circuit Court which ordered that the hearing notice "be served on
the plaintiff by posting copies thereof at the following places for a period of
21 days:— <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>(a) On the gate of the plaintiff's
residence at New Amakom in Kumasi. <o:p></o:p>(b) On the notice board of the Circuit
Court, Kumasi, and<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(c)
By serving a copy of the hearing notice on an adult inmate of the house in
which Plaintiff lives". The amended Statement of Defence and Counter-claim
was filed on 19th August, 1997 and it stated under "COUNTERCLAIM" that
"By way of counterclaim the 3rd and 4th defendants repeat paragraphs 5-13
(of the Statement of Defence and counterclaim for themselves and on behalf of
their brothers and sisters who are the children of Akua Serwah and Yaa Mako,
ex-wives of the late Kwaku Nsiah,<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>