THE REPUBLIC vs. FRANCIS HUSUNU, MAD. ABENA OWUSUAA, DONKOR, NANA KETEWA AND KOO EX-PARTE: PATRICK ADRAH [2012]DLCA8662

THE REPUBLIC vs. FRANCIS HUSUNU, MAD. ABENA OWUSUAA, DONKOR, NANA KETEWA AND KO... [2012]DLCA8662

Date	2012-11-15
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL: SUIT NO: H1/7/12
Citation No.	[2012]DLCA8662

M. OWUSU J.A (PRESIDING)

KORBIEH J.A

DZAMEFE J.A

CHARLES K. ACHEAMPONG BEING LED BY MISS AKOSUA MENSAH FOR RESPONDENTS.

[2012]DLCA8662
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/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>FRANCIS HUSUNU, MAD. ABENA OWUSUAA, DONKOR, NANA KETEWA AND KOO<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENTS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>EX-PARTE: PATRICK ADRAH<o:p></o:p>(APPLICANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</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: SUIT NO: H1/7/12&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 15TH NOVEMBER,
2012<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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CHARLES
K. ACHEAMPONG BEING LED BY MISS AKOSUA MENSAH FOR 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;
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M.
OWUSU J.A (PRESIDING), KORBIEH J.A, DZAMEFE 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;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>DZAMEFE,
JA<o:p></o:p>This
is an appeal against the ruling of the High Court Accra dated 21st
February 2011.<o:p></o:p>The
brief facts of the case as given by the applicant/appellant is that sometime in
2004 he instituted a civil action&nbsp; at the
Circuit Court, Nsawam, on behalf of the principal, one Godwin Anagbo in respect
of a parcel of land at Ankwa Dobro near Nsawam .<o:p></o:p>On
30th May 2006, while PW1, the chief of Ankwa Dobro was in the
witness box giving his evidence, supporters of the respondents attacked and
disrupted the court proceedings. The trial judge, His Honour Kwadwo Owusu,
decided not to hear the case anymore and referred the matter to the Chief Justice
for another court to try the case.<o:p></o:p>Six
months after this incident, when the case had not been remitted to any other
court, the respondents started claiming victory and consequent upon that
started conveying portions of the land in dispute to unsuspecting purchasers.<o:p></o:p>The
appellant/applicant cited them for contempt on the face of the order by the
court on page 19 of the record of appeal. The order states:-<o:p></o:p>“By court: - Respondents are warned to desist from such activity or face
the full rigours of the law.&nbsp; Signed.
GRP. CAPT. (RTD) M.L.K. Obeng-Ntim. Circuit Judge, Nsawam”.<o:p></o:p>The
respondents told the court it was their chief and elders who gave out the applicants’
lands and they were only messengers.&nbsp;
This statement according to the appellant made him file this motion on
notice for an order for the parties to produce documents on the land subject
matter of the contempt proceedings. [Page 38 of the record of appeal]. <o:p></o:p>The
respondents on their side said in November 2003, the appellant issued a writ of
summons against them on behalf of one Godwin Anagbo at the Circuit Court Nsawam
for declaration of title to a parcel of land at Ankwa Dobro near Nsawm. During
the pendency of the said suit, the appellant brought an application to attach
them for contempt of court.&nbsp; Subsequently
in the contempt matter, the appellant applied to the court for an order for
parties to produce documents on the land in dispute.&nbsp; After hearing the application the learned
High Court Judge held in his ruling that; <o:p></o:p>“It
would not be worth it to get the assistance of the court to call on the
respondents to bring to court certain documents that the appellant thinks would
aid him to prove his case. The application was therefore dismissed”.<o:p></o:p>The
trial judge after listening to counsel on both sides ruled thus:-<o:p></o:p>“In
the instant application to grant the prayer of the applicant </main>