REBECCA CEASAR (PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT) vs. TETTEH KWAOFIO (DEFENDANT/APPELLANTS) [2006]DLCA7476

Date	2006-02-24
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/276/2005
Citation No.	[2006]DLCA7476

OWUSU-ANSAH J.A. PRESIDING

ABBAN J.A.

DOTSE J.A.

[2006]DLCA7476
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >REBECCA CEASAR<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>TETTEH KWAOFIO<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>CIVIL
APPEAL NO. H1/276/2005 &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: 24TH FEBRUARY, 2006<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">CORAM:&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;OWUSU-ANSAH
J.A. PRESIDING, ABBAN J.A., DOTSE J.A.<o:p></o:p>

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mso-padding-between:1.0pt">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>OWUSU-ANSAH,
J.A.<o:p></o:p>This
is an appeal from the Judgment of Circuit Court A1, Accra, dated the 14th day
of October, 2002. <o:p></o:p>The
basic issue in this appeal is the ownership of properties on Plot No. B4 12/30,
Nii Boye Town, Accra. <o:p></o:p>By
her writ of summons the Plaintiff, apparently on behalf of her children, not
herself let it be noted, claimed the following reliefs:—<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[a] "A declaration that the Plaintiff is
entitled to one half share of the property House no. B412/30 Nii Boye Town,
Accra. <o:p></o:p>[b] Perpetual Injunction to
restrain the Defendants, servants, agent and workmen to claim the property
House No. B412/30 Nii Boye Town, Accra.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[c] Recovery of accrued rent from the 31st
January 1998 to date of final judgment.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[d] Mesne profits”<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;By her statement of claim the
Plaintiff/Respondent contended that she and the Defendant/Appellant
["appellant" for short] jointly purchased a piece of land at Nii Boye
Town, Accra in 1974 for ¢100.00. The Defendant was her husband for 13 years but
they were no longer living together as husband and wife since 1979. They had 3
children one of whom had expired. Her case was that after the purchase of the
land she decided to put up a building with her children; the defendant was to
put up his own building as well; she the plaintiff and the children built one
self contained two chambers and a Hall and three [3] store rooms, according to
her.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;She added that the son who had died occupied
two chambers and a hall but he rented out a chamber and a hall before he died.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Defendant in his amended statement of
defence denied the Plaintiffs claim in its entirety and contended that he never
purchased any land situate at Nii Boye Town jointly with the Plaintiff in 1974
or at all, adding that he alone without the help of anyone purchased a land at
Nii Boye up on which he put up a building.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;At the close of pleadings it was agreed at the
summons for Directions that the following were the issues for trial.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[a] Whether or not the Plaintiff and the
Defendant jointly purchased a land situate at Nii Boye Town; <o:p></o:p>[b]
Whether or not the Plaintiff herself and children constructed 1 self contained
house, 2 chambers and 3 stores;<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[c] Whether or not the Defendant alone put up
the house on the Plot. <o:p></o:p>[d]
Any other matters arising out of the pleadings. <o:p></o:p>At
the conclusion of the trial the learned judge in his judgment stated inter
alia, "From the evidence adduced in Court, I find as a fact that the
Plaintiff and the Defendant did not help the court in any way." <o:p></o:p>"Both were evasive when
they were under cross-examination thus making it difficult for the court to
arrive at the truth". <o:p></o:p>Yet,
he proceeded to make a number of orders including the following: <o:p></o:p>1.
"One store room should be given to Isaac Tettefio; the second store room
should be given to the Plaintiff; and the third store room should be given to
the Defendant as well as the uncompleted store room. The question is on what
basis and in what capacity?<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;2. "The rooms rented out by the Plaintiff
and her children should still be in their possession, that is those rented to
Emmanuel Yaw Appiah, Joyce Keelson and Frank Kwami." On what basis was</main>