THE REPUBLIC vs. EDWARD ACQUAYE EX-PARTE: CHARLES KWEKU ESSEL AND EBUSUAPANIN KWEKU WU [2008]DLCA6614

THE REPUBLIC vs. EDWARD ACQUAYE EX-PARTE: CHARLES KWEKU ESSEL AND EBUSUAPANIN K... [2008]DLCA6614

Date	2008-02-14
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/34/2007
Citation No.	[2008]DLCA6614

ARYEETEY J.A. [PRESIDING]

BAFFOE-BONNIE J.A.

YAW APPAU J.A

K.O. AMPONSAH DADZIE FOR RESPONDENT/APPELLANT WITH SAM AWOTWE FOR APPELLANT

KWASI AGYENIM BOATENG FOR KOFI LAMPTEY FOR RESPONDENT

[2008]DLCA6614
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>EDWARD
ACQUAYE<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>EX-PARTE: CHARLES
KWEKU ESSEL AND EBUSUAPANIN KWEKU WU<o:p></o:p>(INTERESTED PARTY)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</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:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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APPEAL NO. H1/34/2007&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 14TH
FEBRUARY, 2008<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:
<o:p></o:p>K.O. AMPONSAH DADZIE FOR
RESPONDENT/APPELLANT WITH <o:p></o:p>SAM AWOTWE FOR APPELLANT <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" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
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KOFI LAMPTEY FOR RESPONDENT <o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
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BAFFOE-BONNIE J.A. AND YAW APPAU J.A.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>This
is an appeal against the Ruling of High Court Swedru presided over by SENYO
DZAMEFE J, delivered on 31/07/06 in which the trial judge found the Appellant
herein guilty of Contempt and sentenced him to a fine of ¢10 million or 6
months I.H.L. and a further cost of ¢40 million. The grounds of appeal are as
follows: <o:p></o:p>1.
The learned High Court Judge erred in law in failing to rule on the issue of
capacity of the Applicant especially the sole surviving Applicant as well as
the procedural flaws in the application. <o:p></o:p>2.
The learned High Court Judge erred in law in interpreting the term “status quo”
to be synonymous with “status quo ante” thus reversing or varying by necessary
implication the ruling of Justice Woanyah dated 26/6/2001. <o:p></o:p>3.
Further or in the alternative the Learned High Court Judge erred in law in
failing to take into account the fact that respondent appellant had been
installed before appeal to the Regional House of Chiefs Central Region. <o:p></o:p>4.
The learned High Court Judge erred in law in convicting the
respondent/appellant for contempt on the basis of alleged infraction of the
orders of the Judicial Committee of the Regional House of Chiefs when the
applicants themselves relied on an alleged breach of Justice Woanyah’s
judgment. <o:p></o:p>5.
The learned Judge erred in law in going behind the gazette notification of the
respondent as chief by questioning the circumstances under which respondent was
installed and further erred in law by stating that respondent was gazetted
within 2 days of his installation when the facts before him stated the
contrary. <o:p></o:p>6.
Thus the ruling stands out clearly against the weight of the facts canvassed
before him. <o:p></o:p>7.
Further or in the alternative the cost of ¢40,000,000.00 in favour of the
applicant against respondent was grossly on the high side. <o:p></o:p>The
main relief sought by this appeal is “That the Ruling of the High Court Judge
and consequential orders be set aside and ruling be given in favour of
respondent/appellant”. <o:p></o:p>This
case has had a very chequered history. And so for a proper appreciation of this
appeal let me recall the events that have led to the present state of things.
The appellants (herein) were victorious in an action they instituted before the
Judicial Committee of the Gomoa Assin Traditional Council (GATC). The title of
the suit was: <o:p></o:p>1.
EBUSUAPANIN KODWO ABOR <o:p></o:p>2.
NANA KOFI KORANTENG III (ODIKRO OF GOMOA BUDUABRAM) <o:p></o:p>3.
NANA ESSEL AMO QUANDOH VIII (TUFUHENE OF GOMOA) <o:p></o:p>