ODILIA EZUAH vs. AHMED WASIK SANGARI [2009]DLCA6549

Date	2009-03-12
Suit No.	SUIT NO: CA13/2002
Citation No.	[2009]DLCA6549

R K APALOO J A [PRESIDING]

MARIAMA OWUSU J A

K A ACQUAYE J A

MR. KWABENA OWUSU FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

[2009]DLCA6549
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ODILIA EZUAH<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>AHMED WASIK SANGARI<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>SUIT
NO: CA13/2002&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 12TH MARCH, 2009<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;border-right:none;
padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">

COUNSEL: <o:p></o:p>

MR.
KWABENA OWUSU FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT CORAM:<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>R K APALOO J A [PRESIDING], MARIAMA OWUSU J A, K A
ACQUAYE J A<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;border-right:none;
padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none;
mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>MARIAMA
OWUSU J A<o:p></o:p>On the 16-12-99, the High
Court, Accra, gave judgment for the Plaintiffs against the defendant. The court
held that<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;"In my sound mind, the plaintiff has
proved her claims endorsed on her writ of summons issued on the 18-9-85.
Accordingly, the plaintiff is to recover possession of the land designated Plot
No. 21 North Ridge Residential Area, Accra.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Again this court cancels the sublease dated
28-2-1978 made between the plaintiffs and defendant herein. <o:p></o:p>Cost of ¢1,500,000.00 for the
plaintiffs against the defendant." <o:p></o:p>Dissatisfied with the
decision of the court, the Defendant/Appellant has appealed to this court. <o:p></o:p>The Grounds of Appeal are
as follows; <o:p></o:p>a.
That the judgment is against the weight of evidence adduced at the trial.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;b. That the learned trial judge erred in not
finding that the plaintiffs having failed to adduce any evidence in
satisfaction of the requirements under section 29 of NRCD 175, the whole action
should fail. <o:p></o:p>c.
That the learned trial judge erred in not finding that the plaintiff having
failed to tender in evidence the Head lease which contains the covenant which
the defendant is alleged to have breached, the plaintiff failed to discharge
the burden required of them by law.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;d. That the learned trial judge erred in not
finding that the plaintiff having failed to prove her capacity as an Executrix
of the estate of the late Erzuah, her action should fail.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;e. The learned trial judge failed to
adequately consider the case of the Defendant/Appellant.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;f. Other grounds to be filed upon receipt of
the record of proceedings. <o:p></o:p>The relief sought from
this court is for; <o:p></o:p>"An Order setting aside the
Judgment of the Court below and for a further order entering judgment for the
Defendant/Appellant." <o:p></o:p>The facts of this case are
as follows. <o:p></o:p>On the 22-9-1961, the
Government of Ghana acting through the Chief Lands Officer, leased to John
Bogolo Erzuah, then Ghana’s Ambassador to the United Arab Republic, the plot of
land the subject matter of this suit. John Bogolo Erzuah, now deceased, erected
on the plot an outhouse and the main building all uncompleted. In 1978, the
said John Bogolo Erzuah sub-leased the property at the stage reached to the
defendant for the reminder of the lease for the sum of ¢70,000.00. It is the
case of the plaintiff that, it was expressly agreed by the late Erzuah and the
defendant to complete the building within two years of the execution of the
sub-lease. Meanwhile, John Bogolo Erzuah died and the plaintiff instituted this
action as the Executors of the estate of the deceased, claiming the following
Reliefs.<o:p></o:p>[1] Recovery of possession
of the land and uncompleted building thereon designated Plot No. 21, situate,
lying and being at North Ridge Residential Area, Accra on the ground set out in
extensor in the statement of claim annexed.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[2] An order for the cancellation of the
sub-lease dated 28-2-1978, made between the plaintiffs’ testator and the
defendant herein. <o:p></o:p>[3] Such further order/s
as this court may deem fit. In the Amended Statement of claim pursuant to leave
granted, the plaintiffs averred in paragraphs 5, 6, 8, 9, 14 and 15 [c] and [d]
as follows; <o:p></o:p>5. On or about 28-2-1978,
the lessee, with the consent of the chairman of the Lands Commission, sub-leased
the land with his uncompleted building thereon to the defendant herein for a
period of 50 years, paying ¢1,400.00 per year as rent for the said property. <o:p></o:p>6. By clause 2 [a] of the
sub-leasehold Agreement, the defendant herein as sub-lessee therein took the
sub-lease with the covenants inter alias to perform and observe the Covenants
and Restrictions contained in the Head Lease. <o:p></o:p>8. It was the mutual
understanding between the parties that the development of the sublease property
would be undertaken forthwith in order to protect</main>