EOCO vs. LUCY FRIMPONG & 2 ORS [2013]DLHC12090

Date	2013-07-26
Suit No.	SUIT NO. FTRM/25/2012 FTRM51/2012
Citation No.	[2013]DLHC12090

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE JOHN AJET-NASAM

EDWARD CUDJOE FOR RESPONDENT

DAVID KUDJOADJI FOR APPLICANTS/INTERESTED PARTIES

[2013]DLHC12090
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >EOCO<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>LUCY FRIMPONG &amp; 2 ORS<o:p></o:p>(APPLICANTS)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<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: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

SUIT NO. FTRM/25/2012 FTRM51/2012&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE:
26TH&nbsp;&nbsp;JULY 2013<o:p></o:p>

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

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>HIS
LORDSHIP JUSTICE JOHN AJET-NASAM<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

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

</div>The applicant
herein have described themselves as interested parties in this action. They
have come for a discharge of the confiscation of plot No. 170-46 Fore Drive
Trasacco Estate Adjiringano. During the proceedings, property on parcel No. 8,
Block 5, Section 5154, situated at Ahodwo, Kumasi was discharged. This is
because, it was not part of the confiscation proceedings.<o:p></o:p>The contention
now narrows to the property at Trasacco. The interested parties argue in their
paragraph 4 as follows: “That the said Charles Oppong Kyekyeku is
not the sole owner of the subject matter property at Trasacco valley.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“6” That we are four person with joint equal interest in
the property. That the interest of the three of us is far above the interest of
the respondent in the confiscated &nbsp;property. That it is therefore unfair to us to
lose our property and interest therein on the account of transaction involving
the respondent”.<o:p></o:p>Again, in their supplementary affidavit, the interested
parties in paragraph 14 deposed as follows:<o:p></o:p>“That the property was acquired for US$ 244,000 in 2003
which the respondent and applicants contributed as follows:<o:p></o:p>Charles&nbsp; Oppong&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
---&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; US$ 120,000.00<o:p></o:p>Lucy Frimpong&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ---&nbsp;&nbsp; US$ 30,000.00<o:p></o:p>Francis Okyere&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ---&nbsp;&nbsp; US$ 14,000<o:p></o:p>Christopher A. Okyere (deceased)/Margaret Okyere --- US$
80,000.00<o:p></o:p>In paragraph 19 of their affidavit it stated:<o:p></o:p>“That to confiscate what is jointly owned by the parties
is to render the investment of 1st and 2nd applicants a
waste. That the applicants have not been convicted of any crime nor have their
funds been tainted or termed as crime proceeds”.<o:p></o:p>In its affidavit in opposition, the respondent deposed
that:<o:p></o:p>“4” That whilst investigating the ownership of the said
property at Trasacco Valley the Trasacco Estates Development Company Ltd.
(TEDC) by a letter dated12th January, 2012 stated emphatically that it entered
into a sales agreement with Charles Oppong Kyekyeku for plot 170-40 on 15th
September, 2003 and that it was an outright &nbsp;purchase of the lease hold property..”<o:p></o:p>“16” That at no point in our investigation did we receive
information that other persons had a stake in that property that person ought
to have filed a notice of claim as provided by statute within a reasonable time
to state the nature and extent of his/her interest”.<o:p></o:p>Under Section 31 (1) it provides:<o:p></o:p>“A person who claims an interest in property seized under
this Act shall apply to the Court within thirty days after the date for seizure
for an order that the property be returned to that person”.<o:p></o:p>(2) </main>