SAMUEL KWASI NTIRI NARKO KONKAI TAWIAH vs. GBAWE MANTSE ADAM KWATEI QUARTEY [2006]DLSC2432

Date	2006-10-18
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/29/2004
Citation No.	[2006]DLSC2432

MISS AKUFFO J.S.C. (PRESIDING)

DR. TWUM J.S.C

DR. DATE-BAH J.S.C

ANSAH J.S.C

ANINAKWAH J.S.C.

MR. ADUAMA OSEI FOR APPELLANT.

MR. ATTA AKYEA FOR RESPONDENT.

[2006]DLSC2432
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >SAMUEL KWASI NTIRI NARKO KONKAI TAWIAH<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>GBAWE MANTSE ADAM KWATEI QUARTEY<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME
COURT]<o:p></o:p>CIVIL
APPEAL NO. J4/29/2004<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: 18TH OCTOBER, 2006.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
ADUAMA OSEI FOR APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 9.0pt 0in">

MR.
ATTA AKYEA FOR RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;
<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">

MISS
AKUFFO, J.S.C. (PRESIDING), DR. TWUM, J.S.C., DR. DATE-BAH, J.S.C., ANSAH,
J.S.C., ANINAKWAH, J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;DR. TWUM, J.S.C.:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This is an appeal from the judgment of
the Court of Appeal dated 22nd November 2001. It allowed in part the appeal
lodged by the Appellant herein against a previous judgment of the Circuit Court
delivered in favour of the Respondents herein on 18th August 1998.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Pleadings<o:p></o:p>In
the Circuit Court, the first Respondent herein (then Plaintiff) sued the first
Appellant for these reliefs:-<o:p></o:p>Declaration
of title to a piece or parcel of land at Chuim, Odorkor.<o:p></o:p>Recovery
of possession<o:p></o:p>General
damages for trespass<o:p></o:p>Perpetual
injunction<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Plaintiff traced his root of title to a
conveyance dated 11th October 1977, made between Nii Nikoi Amontia IV, Asere
Mantse of Accra on the one hand and the Plaintiff on the other. This deed of
conveyance was stamped as AC 11330/77. It was, however, not registered. The
Plaintiff pleaded that his said land was situated at Chuim, Odorkor-Accra,
“containing an approximate area of 0.34 acre and bounded on the North East by a
proposed road measuring 130 feet more or less, on the South West by the
Vendor’s land measuring 130 feet more or less, on the South East by the
Vendor’s land measuring 120 feet more or less and on the North West by Mutual
Union’s property measuring 120 feet more or less.”<o:p></o:p>The
Plaintiff further averred that in 1978 the Defendant trespassed on to his said
piece or parcel of land. <o:p></o:p>The
Defendant (Appellant) denied the Plaintiff’s claim and pleaded that the land
claimed by the Plaintiff formed part of a larger area of land owned by the
Gbawe Kwatei family. He denied trespassing on the Plaintiff’s land. He also
pleaded that even though he was the Gbawe Mantse, he was not the custodian or
owner of Gbawe family lands. <o:p></o:p>After
pleadings had closed Adam Kwatei Quartey, head of the Gbawe Kwatei family
applied and was joined to the suit as Co-Defendant by an order dated 9th
October 1978. In his amended statement of defence the co-Defendant denied that
the land in dispute belonged to the Plaintiff. He averred that rather, the land
being claimed by the Plaintiff formed part of a larger area of land owned by
his family – the Gbawe Kwatei family. He described the boundaries of their land
as follows: “On the North-East by the Asere Stool land, on the South-East by
the Akumajay and Sempe stool lands and the Sakumo Plains, on the South-West by
the Tetegbu Stream, Densu River and James Town land, and on the North-West by
Djanmang Hill, Aboabo Hill, Kubenan Hill and Atuase Hill.” He pleaded estoppel
per rem judicatam, against the Plaintiff relying on the High Court judgement in
the case of Kwatia Asuansah Owoo-Papafio vrs. Amadu Wangara &amp; Others (Suit
No. 107/1961). He claimed that the High Court gave judgment in favour of the
Gbawe Kwatei Family in respect of the land in dispute.<o:p></o:p>The
Plaintiff also made an application for the joinder of (i) Asere Mantse and (ii)
Narko Konkai Tawia as Co-Plaintiffs. The application to join Asere Mantse was
refused but an order was made for the joinder of Narko Konkai Tawia as
Co-Plaintiff. The title of the Suit was therefore amended to read:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>1.
Samuel K Ntiri&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Plaintiff<o:p></o:p>2.
Narko Konkai Tawia&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Co-Plaintiff<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>vrs<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>1.
Gbawe Mantse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Defendant<o:p></o:p>2.
Adam Kwatei Quartey&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Co-Defendant<o:p></o:p>