HYDRAFORM ESTATES LIMITED vs. MOI ASHONG [2012]DLCA6494

Date	2012-05-03
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL SUIT NO: H1/91/2010
Citation No.	[2012]DLCA6494

F. KUSI-APPIAH J. A. [PRESIDING]

P. K. GYAESAYOR J. A

K. A. ACQUAYE J. A

MR. BROOKMAN-AMISSAH FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

MR. PROSPER NYAHE FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2012]DLCA6494
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >HYDRAFORM ESTATES LIMITED<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>MOI ASHONG<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>CIVIL
APPEAL SUIT NO: H1/91/2010&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: 3RD MAY, 2012<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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COUNSEL: <o:p></o:p>

MR.
BROOKMAN-AMISSAH FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;MR. PROSPER NYAHE FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&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;&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;<o:p></o:p>F. KUSI-APPIAH J. A. [PRESIDING], P. K. GYAESAYOR J. A,
K. A. ACQUAYE J. A<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none;
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</div>ACQUAYE
JA <o:p></o:p>This is an appeal by the
defendant against the judgment of an Accra High Court delivered on 22nd
December 2009. <o:p></o:p>The Plaintiff/Respondent
sued out a writ of summons accompanied by a statement of claim on 23rd June
2006 at the High Court in Accra claiming against the Defendant/Appellant: <o:p></o:p>a)
A declaration that the judgment obtained by the defendant in the High Court in
Suit Number L.420/2003 entitled Hydraform Estates Ltd. vrs Mary Afortey Odai
was obtained by fraud.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;b) An order setting aside the said judgment<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;c) A declaration of title to all that piece or
parcel of land situate at Okpoi Gonno in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana
containing an approximate area of 0.30 acres the boundaries of which were
stated. <o:p></o:p>d)
Recovery of possession <o:p></o:p>e)
¢500 million damages for trespass <o:p></o:p>f)
Further or other reliefs including an order of perpetual injunction.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The plaintiff's case was that in the 1980's he
used to farm with his father on the disputed land until he came of age when his
father gave him part of the land on which he built a house in which he lived
with his family. He later in 1996 put up other houses which he let out to
tenants. In 1992 he obtained a lease of the land from the Nungua Mantse and his
elders and that he had been in possession of the land for more than 14 years
without let or hindrance so the defendant is caught by laches and the
Limitation Decree. Sometime in the first week of June 2006 the defendant, under
the pretext of having obtained a judgment from the High Court against one Mary
Afotey Odai in Suit Number L. 420/2003 trespassed unto the plaintiffs land and
with the fraudulent judgment she demolished extensively parts of the
plaintiff"s buildings thereby causing damage to the property worth over
¢500 million. The plaintiff particularized that the defendant did not lead any
evidence to prove his title in Suit No. L.420/2003 yet he obtained a
declaration of title and recovery of possession in a motion for judgment in
default of appearance. The plaintiff stated that even though defendant knew or
ought to have known that the judgment was defective he fraudulently entered
judgment dated 10th May 2004 and subsequently applied exparte for a writ of
possession to execute the judgment against him and others in possession without
any notice. The plaintiff testified that his wife is not called Mary Afotey
Odai as appears in the said writ but Mary Borkor Borketey hence his claims.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In her defence the defendant stated that the
plaintiff's grantor, the Nungua Stool does not have any title nor proprietary
interest in the land in dispute and the purported grant to the plaintiff is
null and void. The defendant denied perpetrating any fraud and claimed that the
actual defendant in Suit No. L.420/2003 was the plaintiff's wife who did not
object to service of court processes in the name of Mary Afotey Odai on her and
the plaintiff was aware of the action pending against his wife Mary Afotey Odai
alias Mary Borkor Borketey. The defendant alleged that the plaintiff did not
appeal against the judgment and execution was lawfully levied and possession
delivered to the defendant in 2005 but the plaintiff contemptuously re-entered
the land. The defendant stated that he acquired the disputed land which forms
part of a larger parcel of 75.53 acres by lease agreement made on the 25th day
of November 1994 between Ibrahim Mensah Komieteh of the one part and the
defendant on the other stamped as LVB 9103A/95 and registered at the Land
Registry as Number 2697/1995. The defendant described the boundaries of her land
and said the plaintiff is a trespasser. The defendant counterclaimed for:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;a) Declaration of title to the disputed land<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;b) Recovery of possession<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;c) Perpetual injunction<o:p></o:p>