JAAS CO. LIMITED vs. EDWARD APAU AND MADAM AKUA ACHEMPOMAA [2009]DLSC2495

Date	2009-01-21
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/18/2008
Citation No.	[2009]DLSC2495

AKUFFO J.S.C (PRESIDING)

DATE-BAH J.S.C

ADINYIRA (MRS) J.S.C

OWUSU J.S.C

DOTSE J.S.C

A. G. BUOADU FOR THE 1ST APPELLANT

MOHAMMED SAHNOON FOR THE RESPONDENT

[2009]DLSC2495
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >JAAS CO. LIMITED<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>EDWARD APAU AND MADAM AKUA ACHEMPOMAA<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME
COURT]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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CIVIL
APPEAL NO.&nbsp; J4/18/2008&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 21ST JANUARY, 2009.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>A.
G. BUOADU FOR THE 1ST APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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&nbsp;MOHAMMED SAHNOON FOR THE RESPONDENT<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;
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AKUFFO,
J.S.C (PRESIDING), DATE-BAH, J.S.C., ADINYIRA (MRS), J.S.C., OWUSU, J.S.C,
DOTSE, J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;JONES DOTSE (J.S.C)<o:p></o:p>The
facts in this appeal admit of no controversy whatsoever.<o:p></o:p>The
Plaintiff/Appellant and Co-Plaintiff/Appellants hereinafter referred to as the
1st and 2nd Appellants claimed in their amended writ of summons in the High
Court, against the Defendant/Respondent and later the Co-Defendant/Respondent
hereinafter also referred to as the 1st and 2nd Respondents respectively, the
following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>“Declaration of title to all that
piece of land at North Odorkor measuring&nbsp;
on the North West by 300 feet more or less, South East by 70 feet more
or less, North East by 70 feet more or less and South West by&nbsp; 70 feet more or less.<o:p></o:p>Damages for trespass.<o:p></o:p>Recovery of Possession and <o:p></o:p>Injunction”<o:p></o:p>The
1st Appellant’s claim is that, he purchased this piece of land for valuable
consideration from the 2nd Appellant. The 1st Appellant further contended that his
vendor, the 2nd Appellant, was adjudged victorious in Civil Appeal No. 25/80
entitled&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>ASHALEY
OKOE<o:p></o:p>VRS<o:p></o:p>TOGBE
HAHORMENE III &amp; ANOR.<o:p></o:p>and
declared to be the absolute owner of all the land. The Appellants also claimed
that the land in dispute before the High Court forms part of the land in
respect of the Civil Appeal referred to supra.<o:p></o:p>The
Appellants, provoked by the entry of the 1st Respondent on to the land,
initiated the action against him in the High Court claiming the reliefs
referred to supra. The 1st Respondent, later joined by the 2nd Respondent upon
an order of the High Court, also filed a counterclaim and claimed to have
purchased the land from its original owners the Asere stool.<o:p></o:p>After
trial, the High Court Accra, presided over by Lutterodt J, as she then was,
dismissed the Appellants’ claims before the court and gave judgment to the
Respondents on their counterclaim.<o:p></o:p>Out
of abundance of caution, this is what Lutterodt J, said in her judgment
delivered on 31-7-91:<o:p></o:p>“Ordinarily the dismissal of the
Plaintiffs’ claim should have ended the matter and left the defendants in
possession possibly until another challenger emerges. But, because of their
counterclaim I would proceed to determine whether or not they are entitled to
the reliefs sought. The co-defendant acquired title from the defendant.<o:p></o:p>I think they each succeeded in
establishing a prima facie case of title to the land in dispute. We do not only
have their respective deeds but the evidence of their grantor&nbsp; showing the land&nbsp; was validly granted by him with the consent
and concurrence of the accredited elders of the Asere Stool of Nikoi Olai,
those whose signatures are needed”.<o:p></o:p>With
the above words, the High Court declared title in the land to the Respondents
as well as perpetually restraining the Appellants from interfering with the
Respondents’ title to the land.<o:p></o:p>Aggrieved
by the said decision, the Appellants appealed to the Court of Appeal, which by
a split decision delivered on 20th February 1997 dismissed the appeal with
Lamptey J.A dissenting, whilst Benin and Essilfie-Bondzie JJA, upheld the High
Court decision.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>Justice
Essifie-Bondzie dismissed the appeal and upheld the judgment granted the
Respondents on their counterclaim.<o:p></o:p>Justice
Benin on the other hand dismissed the appeal but upheld the judgment in respect
of the counterclaim to the 1st Respondent only, and dismissed the 2nd
Respondent’s counterclaim.<o:p></o:p>Justice
Lamptey dismissed both the Appellants claims as well as the Respondents claims
and ordered a re-trial.<o:p></o:p>It
is against this judgment of the Court of Appeal that the Appellants have
further lodged the instant appeal to this court with the following as the
grounds of appeal.<o:p></o:p>