NII TETTEH OPREMREH II (RESPONDENT) vs. OBIRI YEBOAH (RESPONDENTS/APPELLANTS) [2009]DLHC7859

Date	2009-11-05
Suit No.	SUIT NO. AL132/06
Citation No.	[2009]DLHC7859

HIS LORDSHIP MR. E. K. AYEBI J.A. SITTING AS ADDITIONAL HIGH COURT JUDGE

JAMES AHENKORAH FOR PLAINTIFF

VICTOR AZAMETI LED BY DR. AGBOLOSU FOR DEFENDANT

[2009]DLHC7859
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >NII TETTEH OPREMREH II<span lang="EN-US" 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"><o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" 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>OBIRI
YEBOAH<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENTS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[HIGH
COURT (FAST TRACK), 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">

SUIT
NO. AL132/06&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: 5TH NOVEMBER, 2009<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>JAMES AHENKORAH FOR PLAINTIFF&nbsp;
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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VICTOR AZAMETI LED BY DR. AGBOLOSU FOR DEFENDANT&nbsp; <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;
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HIS
LORDSHIP MR. E. K. AYEBI J.A. SITTING AS ADDITIONAL HIGH COURT JUDGE<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>AYEBI J.A.<o:p></o:p>This suit is premised on Suit No. 679/93 instituled
Nii Tetteh Opremreh II vrs The Attorney-General and La Stool decided
by the High Court, Accra, presided over by Nana Gyamerah Tawiah in 1999.&nbsp; The plaintiff in that suit is the same plaintiff
in this suit.&nbsp; In both suits, he sued for
and on behalf of the Apaintse We family, La Shiashie.<o:p></o:p>The reliefs the plaintiff claim in that 1993 suit
were:<o:p></o:p>(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Declaration
that title to all that piece of land situate and being at the village of
Shiashie with the boundaries described which became vested in the Colonial
Secretary and his successor’s in office by virtue of its acquisition in 1944
for the extension of the aerodrome has become extinguished by operation of law
on 1st September 1956 or at least on the coming into force of the
Limitation Decree in 1973 and thereon the said title has revested in the
Apaintse We family, the original owners.<o:p></o:p>(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Declaration
that the Lands Commission is not competent to execute leases or make grants on
behalf of the Republic to persons for purposes contrary to the true intent and
meaning of the Public Lands Ordinance, Cap 134 and consequently all such grants
made by the Lands Commission are illegal, ultra vires and null and void.<o:p></o:p>(iii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
And/or
in the alternative, a declaration that the said Apaintse We family are and have
since the coming into force of the 1992 Constitution been entitled to a right
of pre-emption of the said Shiashe Land by reason of abandonment or non-fulfillment
of the object of acquisition.<o:p></o:p>The facts underlying the claim of the plaintiff is
the history of colonial administration in the then Gold Coast.&nbsp; In 1944, Colonial Government compulsorily
acquired the Shiashe land purposely for the construction of a military
aerodrome for the use of the Allied Forces engaged in the World War II.&nbsp; The owners of the land, La, were paid
compensation and the governor was issued with a Certificate of Title under the
Ordinance, Cap 134.<o:p></o:p>But suddenly the war ended.&nbsp; The Colonial government did not find the need
to extend the airfield.&nbsp; As the owner of
the land, the government did not take possession of it either.&nbsp; Neither did the government eject the original
owners as well as other occupants.&nbsp; In
1960s the Accra-Tema Motorway and the railway line were constructed through the
acquired land by government.<o:p></o:p>Later the Lands Commission, the custodian</main>