MOHAMMED ODARTEY LAMPTEY vs. LANDS COMMISSION AND 3 OTHER [2014]DLCA5552

Date	2014-07-10
Suit No.	SUIT NO: H1/113/2014
Citation No.	[2014]DLCA5552

ABBAN (PRESIDING)

OWUSU M. J.A.

TORKORNOO J.A.

MR. NARTEY TETTEH FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT

MR. SAMUEL AGYEI GYANG FOR DEFENDANTS/RESPONDENTS

[2014]DLCA5552
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MOHAMMED ODARTEY LAMPTEY<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>LANDS COMMISSION AND 3 OTHER<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, ACCRA]&nbsp;<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: H1/113/2014&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; JULY
10, 2014<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
NARTEY TETTEH FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT<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: <o:p></o:p>ABBAN
(PRESIDING), OWUSU M. J.A., TORKORNOO J.A.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:
.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;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>MARIAMA
OWUSU, J.A:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On 1st of
February 2010, the High Court, Accra, dismissed the plaintiff’s claim against
all the defendants as not proved. The Court awarded the 2nd to 4th
defendants costs of One Thousand Ghana Cedis [GH¢1,000.000]. In coming to this
conclusion, the trial judge held among other things as follows;<o:p></o:p>“I have no doubt in my mind that PW1’s
family allocated the land to the plaintiff because they, that is, the
government had left the rest. In my view where land has been acquired by
government but there has been a failure to use the land or part thereof for the
purpose for which it was acquired it does not lie in the power of any person or
authority to take possession or ownership of the land.<o:p></o:p>By clause 6 of Article 20 of the 1992
constitution where land is not used as above stated the following may happen:<o:p></o:p>(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
pre-acquisition owners of the land shall have first option to re-acquire the
land<o:p></o:p>(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
whole of the compensation paid to the pre-acquisition owners or part thereof as
is consistent with the use of the land shall be refunded by the pre-acquisition
owners to the relevant authorities.<o:p></o:p>The amount of compensation shall
depend on the value of the property at the time of the refund.<o:p></o:p>It is hoped, our traditional
authorities will take note of the above statutory provisions”.<o:p></o:p>Dissatisfied with the
decision of the Court, the plaintiff
appealed to this Court on the following grounds;<o:p></o:p>(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The trial court misdirected itself when it
determined the matter in total disregard to all the issues set down for trial.<o:p></o:p>(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The trial judge unjustly adjudicated the
matter on an issue not put forth by the parties thereby causing surprise.<o:p></o:p>