THE ESTATE OF JOSEPH KOJO NTRAKWA REPRESENTED BY HELENA NTRAKWA AND SOLOMON NTRAKWA (PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS) vs. BOGOSO GOLD LIMITED (DEFENDANT/ APPELLANT) [2009]DLCA7808

THE ESTATE OF JOSEPH KOJO NTRAKWA REPRESENTED BY HELENA NTRAKWA AND SOLOMON NTRA... [2009]DLCA7808

Date	2009-07-09
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO: H1/65/2009
Citation No.	[2009]DLCA7808

S. E. KANYOKE J.A. (PRESIDING)

IRISMAY BROWN J. A.

C. J. HONYENUGA J.A.

MR. SAM OKUDZETO FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

MR. AMUA SEKYI FOR PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS

[2009]DLCA7808
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE ESTATE OF
JOSEPH KOJO NTRAKWA REPRESENTED BY HELENA NTRAKWA AND SOLOMON NTRAKWA<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p>BOGOSO GOLD LIMITED<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/ APPELLANT)<o:p></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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

CIVIL
APPEAL NO:&nbsp; H1/65/2009&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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:
9TH JULY, 2009<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
SAM OKUDZETO FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

MR.
AMUA SEKYI FOR PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

S.
E. KANYOKE J.A. (PRESIDING), IRISMAY BROWN J. A., C. J. HONYENUGA 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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div>HONYENUGA JA<o:p></o:p>This is an appeal against the judgment of the High
Court, Sekondi, dated the 22nd day of October 2008.<o:p></o:p>The facts of this appeal were that the second
respondent’s father Joseph Kojo Ntrakwa cultivated one hundred and thirty-two
(132) acre cocoa farm which he left behind.&nbsp;
The 2nd respondent also cultivated 33 acres of cocoa farm at
Ayensukrom.&nbsp; Joseph Kojo Ntrakwa like the
2nd respondent also cultivated food crops such as plantain and
cocoyam in these cocoa farms.&nbsp; Both farms
were cultivated with Tetteh Quarshie variety of cocoa which started yielding in
1980 with their various attendant cocoa harvests.&nbsp; The 2nd respondent was granted
power of attorney to represent Mrs. Helena Ntrakwa who was granted probate in
the Will of Joseph Kojo Ntrakwa (Deceased).&nbsp;
The defendant, a mining company commenced operations at Bogoso in 1990
and as a result of its mining operations caused to issue from their
manufacturing chimney offensive poisonous and unwholesome smoke, vapours and
noxious matters including sulphur dioxide.&nbsp;
These substances were said to have spread and diffused on to the
plaintiffs/respondents cocoa farms and consequently the said cocoa farms were
rendered unwholesome, dirty and uncomfortable to live in and the cocoa tress
and other crops were diseased and damaged.&nbsp;
The said farms were also said to have deteriorated in nature together
with the land and resulted also in low production of cocoa and the food crops.&nbsp; Numerous protests by the
plaintiffs/respondents ended in a fiasco.&nbsp;
Threatened by the acts of the defendant/appellant, the
plaintiffs/respondents caused a writ of summons which was later amended to be
issued against the defendant/appellant claiming as follows:-<o:p></o:p>“1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Damages against the defendant for nuisance caused by the
defendant at the Conclave Residential Area to the plaintiffs’ cocoa farms and
food crops.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Damages and loss arising out of the negligence of defendant.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Loss and damages arising out of the escape of gas,
pollution, poisonous smoke etc. caused by the defendant to the plaintiffs’
cocoa farms and food crops at the Conclad Residential Area, Bogoso.<o:p></o:p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An injunction restraining the defendant from the continuance
or repetition of the said injury or the committal of any injury of a like kind
to the said farms.&nbsp; The boundaries of the
farms are as follows:-<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1st plaintiff’s land is bounded by Opanin
Gyasi’s cocoa farms, Opanin Acheampong’s cocoa farm, Apinto Stool Land, Opanin
Nsiah’s cocoa and Opanin Mensah’s cocoa farm comprising an area of 132 acres.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2nd plaintiff’s land is bounded by Bosumtwi
Stool Land; Opanin Nsiah’s cocoa farm, Apinto Stool Land and an unknown
persons’ property comprising an area of 33 acres”<o:p></o:p>The defendant/appellant entered Appearance and
later filed a Statement of Defence.&nbsp; An
Interlocutory appeal to the Court of Appeal was filed against the decision of
the High Court to set aside the judgment which was granted without notice to
the defendant/appellant was refused.&nbsp; The
matter then went to the Supreme Court which set aside the judgment and ordered
a trial de novo.<o:p></o:p>