NANA OBENG AKROFI vs. NANA ASANTE AMPADU AND NANA AMEYAW DEBRAH [2013]DLCA5467

Date	2013-07-25
Suit No.	SUIT NO.: H1/199/06
Citation No.	[2013]DLCA5467

OWUSU M. J.A. (PRESIDING)

ADUAMA OSEI J.A.

LOVELACE-JOHNSON J.A.

MR. K. AMOAKO ADJEI AND MR. A. Y. NYARKO ADU FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS

MR. OBENG MANU FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2013]DLCA5467
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >NANA OBENG AKROFI<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>NANA ASANTE AMPADU AND NANA AMEYAW DEBRAH<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></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;
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SUIT NO.: H1/199/06&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; JULY 25, 2013<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
K. AMOAKO ADJEI AND MR. A. Y. NYARKO ADU FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p>OWUSU
M. J.A. (PRESIDING), ADUAMA OSEI J.A., LOVELACE-JOHNSON 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="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>MARIAMA
OWUSU, J.A:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On
10-12-2002, the High Court, Nkawkaw dismissed the defendant’s counterclaim as
not proved. It then gave judgment for the plaintiff as follows:<o:p></o:p>“I
enter judgment for plaintiff. I grant the plaintiff all the reliefs he sought
for. It is declared that title of the land in dispute is on the plaintiff and
he is owner of the property in dispute.<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiff is therefore to recover all that piece or parcel of land known as
Plot No. 86 with building thereon known as Nkawkaw Ahenfie.<o:p></o:p>It
is ordered that the body of Nana Bonsu Nyame (deceased) buried on the property
be exhumed and buried at the proper place.<o:p></o:p>As
regards damages for trespass, I take into consideration the fact that the
defendants have deprived plaintiff of his property, trespassed onto the land
have even buried a body on the premises without the consent and authority of
the plaintiff. The plaintiff is entitled to damages and I award damages of ¢10,000,000.00
to the plaintiff against the defendants.<o:p></o:p>The
defendants are perpetually restrained from entering on the land together with
their assigns, servants, etc.<o:p></o:p>In
awarding costs, I take into consideration the number of adjournments with delay
and I award cost of ¢800,000,000.00 to the plaintiff against the defendants. The
exhumation of the body should be forthwith.”<o:p></o:p>Aggrieved
and dissatisfied with the decision of the High Court, the defendants appealed
to the Court of Appeal on the following grounds:<o:p></o:p>a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The judgment was against the weight of
evidence.<o:p></o:p>b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Additional grounds of appeal would be
filed on receipt of the record of proceedings.<o:p></o:p>The
Relief sought from the Court of Appeal<o:p></o:p>The
whole judgment and orders and costs be set aside and judgment entered in favour
of the defendants/appellants with cost.<o:p></o:p>Before
dealing with the arguments canvassed for and against this appeal, I will give a
brief background of this case. The plaintiff by his writ of summons on behalf
of the Obomeng Stool claimed against the defendants jointly and severally the
following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>