MARGARET SIABE & ANOR vs JOHN O. ANTWAKO & ANOR [2012]DLHC16307

Date	2012-05-11
Suit No.	SUIT NO. FAL 378/12
Citation No.	[2012]DLHC16307

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE P. BRIGHT MENSAH

FRANCIS POLLEY

MICHAEL AKANBEK

[2012]DLHC16307
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;MARGARET SIABE &amp; ANOR<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>JOHN O. ANTWAKO &amp; ANOR<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;<div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">

</div>COUNSEL&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><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE P. BRIGHT MENSAH <o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: black; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0in;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>APPLICATION
FOR A TRANSFER OF CASE&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Upon a motion filed on 28/03/12 premised
on Order 3 of the High Court (Civil
Procedure) Rules, 2004 (CI 47), the defendants/applicants herein seek an
order of the court reporting the matter to the Chief Justice for the transfer
of this instant case from this court to any other court in the Eastern Region
to be tried therein.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The thrust of this application is that
the land, the subject matter of this suit is situate at Brekuso in the Eastern
Region.&nbsp; Relying on the averments as set
out in the accompanying affidavit in support of the application and Order 3 r
2(1)(b) of CI 47, learned Counsel for the defendants/applicants Mr Francis
Polley, did submit that the subject matter in dispute is an immovable property
situate in the Eastern region.&nbsp; Thus the
present action ought to have been commenced in the Eastern region in which it is
situate irrespective of where the parties reside.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Having referred to the Affidavit In
Opposition, Counsel submitted that it was preposterous for the
Plaintiffs/respondents to assume that the defendants/ applicants have no
defence to the claim.&nbsp; He contended that
if the matter was reported to the Chief Justice and the necessary transfer
order made, the defendants would defend the action by filing the appropriate
statement of defence.&nbsp; Objection as to
forum for the trial of the case has been raised timeously, he added. Counsel
therefore prayed for the grant of the application for the matter to be referred
to the Chief Justice for its transfer to be made.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In opposing the application, learned
Counsel for the Plaintiffs/respondents Mr Micheal Akanbek did argue that the
land, the subject matter of this instant suit is situate on the borders of
Greater Accra and the Eastern Region and is closer to the COMET ESTATES in
Ashomang near Accra, just about 5 minutes walk from the disputed land. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Counsel next argued that all the parties
in the case are residing in Accra. &nbsp;On
the authority of INGOS CONSTRUCTION
LTD v BLACKWOOD LODGE (1981) GLR 347 Mr Akanbek submitted that by
reason that all the parties reside in Accra there will be no injustice
occasioned or expenses to be incurred if the case was tried in Accra.&nbsp; On the contrary, he argued further, it shall
be much more costly for the case to be tried if it was transferred to any other
court in the Eastern Region.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;