[2013]DLCA8124 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#00B0F0">OBAAPANYIN AKOSUA NYANTAKYIWAA (SUING PER HER LAWFUL ATTORNEY) MR. KWAKU ABRAHAM<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#00B0F0">ISAAC DARKWA</span></b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;text-align:center; line-height:115%"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">(DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"">[COURT OF APPEAL, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">ACCRA</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">]<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm; mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">SUIT NO: H1/204/2012 </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""> DATE: </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">18<sup>TH</sup></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""> APRIL, 2013</span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif">COUNSEL.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">MR. JOHN K. A. KLU FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">MR. GUSTAV ADDINGTON FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">CORAM:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">OWUSU M. J.A. (PRESIDING), ACQUAYE K. J.A., DORDZIE M. J.A.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif">JUDGMENT</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify"><b><i><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">MARIAMA OWUSU, J.A:<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:18.0pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">On 30-1-2012, the High Court, Koforidua, gave judgment against the plaintiff. The Court held among other things that,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:18.0pt; margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">“From the above, and for the reasons given, judgment is entered against the plaintiff in respect of all the reliefs endorsed on her writ.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:18.0pt; margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The defendant in this case did not counterclaim for a declaration of title, recovery of possession and an order of perpetual injunction amongst others as was the case in the previous litigation. However, with the resolution of all the issues and additional issues in his favour, he is entitled to being declared owner of the disputed land and the court so declares. The effect of this judgment means that the judgment in the previous litigation declaring title in his favour upon his counter claim stands unaffected. Also see the case of Hanna Assi v. Gihoc Refrigeration & Household Products Ltd. (No.2) [2007-2008] 1GLR 16 which held that where on the evidence a defendant is clearly entitled to a remedy but filed no counterclaim, the court in order to do substantial justice amongst the parties may grant the relief not asked for.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:18.0pt; margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">On the cost to be awarded, having regard to unnecessarily expenses that the plaintiff has put the defendant through to defend his claim to the land a second time, and contumelious conduct of the plaintiff in denying any knowledge of the previous litigation the defendant shall be entitled to substantial cost. Accordingly cost of GH¢2,500.00 is awarded against the plaintiff”.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:18.0pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">Dissatisfied with the decision of the court, the plaintiff appealed to this court on the following grounds;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:18.0pt; margin-left:72.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-36.0pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">[i] The ruling was against the weight of the evidence on the record.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:18.0pt; margin-left:72.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-36.0pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">[ii] The cost awarded against the plaintiff is harsh and excessive and without any basis in law.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:18.0pt; margin-left:72.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-36.0pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">[iii] Other grounds of appeal will be filed upon receipt of the record of proceedings.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:18.0pt;text-align:justify"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The relief sought from this Court:</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:18.0pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">That the judgment entered in favour of defendant be set aside and judgment be given in favour of Plaintiff.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:18.0pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The background to this appeal is as follows;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:18.0pt;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-s