PETER NKOOM AND NII ASHONG KOJO ABABIO 111 vs. ERIC ADJEI SOWATEY [2014]DLCA2959

Date	2014-03-13
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/138/2011
Citation No.	[2014]DLCA2959

KUSI-APPIAH JA (PRESIDING)

OFOE JA

M. WELBOURNE (MRS) JA

SAMPSON OBENG FOR THE RESPONDENT

NANA AMMA AMPONSAH FOR THE APPELLANT

[2014]DLCA2959
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >PETER NKOOM
AND NII ASHONG KOJO ABABIO 111<o:p></o:p>&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;vs.&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; <o:p></o:p>ERIC ADJEI
SOWATEY<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

CIVIL
APPEAL NO. H1/138/2011&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;DATE: 13TH
MARCH, 2014<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;&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>SAMPSON OBENG FOR THE
RESPONDENT,<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

NANA
AMMA AMPONSAH FOR THE APPELLANT<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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

KUSI-APPIAH
JA (PRESIDING) ,OFOE &nbsp;JA, &nbsp;M. WELBOURNE (MRS) JA<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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>OFOE, JA<o:p></o:p>The appellants in
this judgment will be referred to as the plaintiffs and the respondent as defendant.
Since we have two plaintiffs we will have 1st plaintiff and 2nd
plaintiff where necessary.<o:p></o:p>The pleadings of the
parties, as is normal with claims to large tracts of land, vests original allodial
ownership of the disputed 15.50 acres of &nbsp;land in their respective ancestors. The 1st
plaintiff claims ownership of this 15.50 acres through the 2nd
plaintiff. The 2nd plaintiff admitted this grant to the 1st
plaintiff and further claims ownership of a larger 8.2 miles land of which the 15.50
acres are a part. The 2nd plaintiff claims to be the chief of
Amrahia and lawful representative of the Nii Amoah Okromansah Family.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The defendant also claims to be a chief of
Maledjor and lawful head of the Sowah Anteni family. This family the defendant
alleges forms part of a larger family known as La Akotianaa family from a La
Quarter known as the Lenshie Quarter.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>From the pleadings of
the parties the dispute is primarily about whether Maledjor is part of Amrahia
or Maledjor is a village, now a town on its own tracing its roots to La. For the
plaintiffs, Maledjor is part of Amrahia and has no independent existence. The
defendant on the other hand claims Maledjor is a village on its own but with
traditional links to the La Stool.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>1st plaintiff
is claiming through the 2nd plaintiff family a grant of 15.50 acres
of land. He claims he took possession of this land and has developed a portion
leaving a wider area undeveloped. He alleges that the defendant and his privies
have prevented him from entering the remainder of the plot, hence his claim
before the High Court.<o:p></o:p>The 2nd
plaintiff claims 8.2 miles land, of which the area in dispute forms part, as
belonging to his family, Nii Amoah Okromansah family, otherwise known as Amoah
We, Abese, &nbsp;Amrahia. It is their case
that the founder of Amrahia, Nii Amoah Okromansah, hailed from Anomabo in the
Central Region and came to reside with the people of La. He later decided to
settle near Dodowa and therefore had to purchase land from the people of Aburi
on which to settle with his family and workmen. It is this land that is Amrahia.
Nii Amoah Okromansah’s son, Nii Ashong Kojo 1, took over from him and the
present Nii Ashong Kojo 111, the 2nd plaintiff, succeeded Nii Ashong Kojo 11. Thus
the land in dispute forms part of the land Nii Okromansah bought from the
people of Aburi. Their pleadings explained how the village of Malejor came into
being. It is their story that during the Kantamanso War fought between the Gas
and the Akwapims a certain man called Nii Sowah Gborbilor assisted the people
of Amrahia after which he was settled on a portion of Amrahia land in a valley,
now known as Marlejor as caretaker. After the death of Nii Sowah Gborbilor, his
son, Marle Osokorno took over as caretaker and it is his name Marle which gave
the valley where his father settled, the name Marle Djor, in Ga meaning Marle’
valley. After the death of Marle the people of Amrahia appointed Ataa Ansah as
caretaker. It was after the death of Ataa Ansah that the defendant proclaimed
himself chief of Malejor. What the plaintiffs want the court to believe is that
the land of Amrahia includes Male Djor. There is no independent village of
Malejor with its own chief or head.<o:p></o:p>The defendant, on the
other hand claims by his pleadings that Marle Djor is one of the villages on
the rural lands of the La Stool. His family, the Sowah Anteni family, settled
on this land of Marledjor after the Las conquered same from the people of Nungua
and Akwamu and has been in undisturbed occupation and possession since time
immemorial. Their possession and occupation have been in the form of their
farms, dwelling houses, fetish grooves, and markets. The village of Amrahia and
Marle Djor are distinc</main>