SAMDY METALS LIMITED vs. ALHAJI ABDUL KADIRI AND 2 OTHERS [2014]DLCA5146

Date	2014-07-31
Suit No.	SUIT NO: H1/19/2014
Citation No.	[2014]DLCA5146

KUSI-APPIAH (PRESIDING)

OFOE J.A.

SOWAH J.A.

DAVID AMETEFE FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS

FELIX NANA OSEI FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2014]DLCA5146
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >SAMDY METALS LIMITED<o:p></o:p>(Plaintiff/Respondent)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ALHAJI ABDUL KADIRI AND 2 OTHERS<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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

SUIT NO: H1/19/2014&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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
31, 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; <o:p></o:p>DAVID AMETEFE FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS<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">

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>KUSI-APPIAH
(PRESIDING), OFOE J.A., SOWAH J.A.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;border-right:none;
padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;tab-stops:63.75pt center 3.25in;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;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>SOWAH,
J.A:<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">In this judgment, the appellants shall be referred to as the
defendants while the respondent will be referred to as the plaintiff or the
plaintiff company. <o:p></o:p>On 28th October 2010, the Accra High
Court delivered a judgment against the defendants, dismissing its counterclaim
and granting the plaintiff company all the reliefs it had sought in its writ of
summons, namely,<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> declaration of title to the
land in dispute, perpetual injunction, GH¢10,000.00 as general damages for
trespass and costs of GH¢2,000.00. Being dissatisfied with the outcome
of the trial, the defendants have filed this appeal, asking that the whole
judgment be set aside and judgment entered for the defendants.<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">The background facts which
culminated in this appeal are as follows: <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">The plaintiff, purporting to be a
limited liability company, instituted action in December 2004 against the late
Alhaji Abdul Aziz, the defendants predecessor in title at the Circuit Court for
declaration of title among other reliefs. Per its pleading, the plaintiff
averred that it owned the land in dispute by virtue of a deed of gift made to
it in October 2004. The Plaintiffs’ grantor, Madam Naa Sackua Sackey joined
that action as co-plaintiff. However the plaintiff withdrew from the action
when it was confronted with a search report that showed that it was not
incorporated and therefore lacked the capacity to sue. The case proceeded to
trial and judgment was given in favour of the co-plaintiff Madam Sackey. She
purportedly recovered possession and put the plaintiff in possession.
Meanwhile, the defendants had appealed that decision and on 7th
February 2008, the Court of Appeal by a judgment in Suit No. H1/164/07 declared
the Circuit Court proceeding null and void.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">On 13th August 2008, the plaintiff issued a fresh writ of
summons at the High Court against the defendants, seeking declaration of title,
perpetual injunction and damages for trespass. Per its statement of claim, the
grant obtained from Madam Sackey by its promoter Solomon Addy in the name of
the company when the company had not been incorporated had been regularized by
a fresh deed of gift dated 12th February 2008 and plaintiff had duly
registered its title and had obtained a land certificate No. GA 21470 on 28th
March 2008. <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">In their statement of defence,
the defendants averred that they were in lawful possession of the disputed land
because Alhaji Abdul Aziz (now deceased) had been the bona fide owner by virtue
of a grant from Madam Sackey in the presence of witnesses in consideration of
financial and other assistance she had received from the late Alhaji Aziz. The
defendants asserted that the late Alhaji Aziz as the bona fide owner had
exercised undisturbed possession for over 30 years to the knowledge of Madam
Sackey, and they were therefore protected by the Statute of Limitation. They
averred that Solomon Addy, the purported promoter of plaintiff company came to
do bus</main>