THE REPUBLIC vs. THE HIGH COURT, KOFORIDUA EX-PARTE: NANA OTUTU KONO III AKUAPEM TRADITIONAL COUNCIL [2008]DLSC2468

THE REPUBLIC vs. THE HIGH COURT, KOFORIDUA EX-PARTE: NANA OTUTU KONO III AKUAPEM... [2008]DLSC2468

Date	2008-10-22
Suit No.	CIVIL MOTION NO. J5/9/2008
Citation No.	[2008]DLSC2468

WOOD (MRS) CJ (PRESIDING)

ATUGUBA J.S.C

OWUSU (MS) J.S.C

DOTSE J.S.C

BAFFOE-BONNIE J.S.C

STANLEY AMARTEIFIO WITH DINAH QUASHIE-IDUN FOR THE APPLICANT

K. AMOAKO ADJEI FOR THE INTERESTED PARTY

[2008]DLSC2468
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE HIGH COURT, KOFORIDUA EX-PARTE: NANA OTUTU KONO III
AKUAPEM TRADITIONAL COUNCIL<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME
COURT]<o:p></o:p>CIVIL
MOTION NO. J5/9/2008<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: 22ND OCTOBER, 2008.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>STANLEY
AMARTEIFIO WITH DINAH QUASHIE-IDUN FOR THE APPLICANT<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">

K.
AMOAKO ADJEI FOR THE INTERESTED PARTY<o:p></o:p>

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

WOOD
(MRS) CJ (PRESIDING), ATUGUBA J.S.C, OWUSU (MS) J.S.C, DOTSE J.S.C,
BAFFOE-BONNIE J.S.C<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>R U L I N G<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;GEORGINA WOOD CJ:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;I have had the opportunity to read the
opinions of my respected brothers and sister in this matter. Unfortunately, I
do not agree with the majority views expressed by my respected brethren. To the
contrary, I am inclined to agree with the opinion of my brother Dotse JSC.
Consequently, it would in my view, be helpful if I briefly stated&nbsp; my reasons for allowing this application
which seeks to invoke the supervisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court for an
order of certiorari to quash the ruling of the High Court Koforidua dated 13th
December, 2007.<o:p></o:p>The
interested party who was the Plaintiff in the original action sued the
Defendants, the Applicants herein for the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>A
declaration that the Plaintiff body is the only lawful and statutory
Traditional Council in Akuapim<o:p></o:p>A
declaration that the defendants so-called Traditional Council, namely Akuapim
Anafo Traditional Council, Okere Traditional Council, and Akuapim Guan
Traditional Council respectively are null and void.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>An
injunction restraining the Defendants from using, operating as, dealing in or
in any way claiming through the said respective Councils.<o:p></o:p>An
injunction restraining the Defendants from claiming to be the Omanhene or
Presidents of the said respective Councils.<o:p></o:p>In
my thinking, the “claiming through the said respective Councils” referred to in
relief 3 can only be related to claim to be an Omanhene as expressed in relief
4.<o:p></o:p>The
Defendants, after being served with the writ, filed a motion to set aside the
writ on the grounds that the High Court, Koforidua lacked jurisdiction to hear
the matter as it was one affecting chieftaincy.<o:p></o:p>On
the 13th day of December 2007, the High Court ruled on the motion by saying it
was not a cause or matter affecting chieftaincy and therefore it had
jurisdiction to deal with the matter.<o:p></o:p>Dissatisfied
with the decision of the Court, the Applicant filed a motion invoking the
supervisory jurisdiction of the court for an order of certiorari directed at
the High Court, Koforidua.<o:p></o:p>The
ground was couched in these terms:<o:p></o:p>“That the learned Trial Judge erred in
law by holding that the matter before him was not a cause or matter affecting
chieftaincy and by reason of the said error wrongfully assumed jurisdiction in
a cause or matter affecting chieftaincy.”<o:p></o:p>I
must at the outset state that I am not entirely too happy with this
formulation. On the surface, it reads like an ordinary appeal ground. But we
are here to do substantial justice to the parties. Courts must be wary, in
deserving cases, of attaching undue weight to the form or words used in the
formulation or presentation of writs, reliefs, claims, causes or matters for
judicial relief. Having regard to the claim before us, when purposively read,
and given that equity looks to the substance rather than the form, my
understanding of this ground is that the judge committed an error of law, which
error is so clearly patent on the face of the record, it ought to attract our
supervisory intervention.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>WHAT
IS A CAUSE OR MATTER AFFECTING CHIEFTAINCY?<o:p></o:p>The
statutory provisions as referred to by my brother Dotse JSC, namely, the Courts
Act, Act 459 s.117(a-e) and the S.76 of the Chieftaincy Act 2008,Act 759
defines a cause or matter as follows:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The nomination, election, appointment or installation of a person as a
chief or the claim of a person to be nominated, elected, appointed or installed
as a Chief.<o:p></o:p>b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The destoolment or abdication of any chief.<o:p></o:p>c.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The right of any person to take part in the nomination, election,
appointment or installation of any person as a chief or in the destoolment o
any chief.<o:p></o:p>