THOMAS MINKAH vs. JAMES OPOKU BAAH AND KWABENA TWUM [2014]DLHC3903

Date	2014-03-27
Suit No.	SUIT NO.INTS/11/13
Citation No.	[2014]DLHC3903

ANGELINA MENSAH-HOMIAH (MRS.) JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

OBENG MANU JNR. FOR THE PLAINTIFF

JUDY EDUSEI FOR ASANTE KROBEA FOR THE DEFENDANT.

<p class="mb-5" id="contentDlCitation"  hidden>[2014]DLHC3903</p>
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;color:#00B0F0">THOMAS MINKAH<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;color:#00B0F0">JAMES OPOKU BAAH AND
KWABENA TWUM<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">[HIGH COURT (COMMERCIAL DIVISION), KUMASI]</span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">SUIT </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">NO.INTS/11/13&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">DATE: </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">27</span><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">TH</span></sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"> MARCH, 2014<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">OBENG MANU JNR. FOR THE
PLAINTIFF <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">ANGELINA
MENSAH-HOMIAH (MRS.)</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;"> JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">The Plaintiff herein caused an interpleader application to be filed on
his behalf when the Defendant herein caused the property in dispute to be
attached in execution of a judgment obtained against one James Opoku Baah at
the Commercial Court, Kumasi. The Defendant filed a notice to dispute the Plaintiff’s
title under Order 44 rule 12 (2) of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules
2004, C.I. 47.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">A notice was subsequently served on both parties for the issue of the
Plaintiff’s title to the disputed property which has been variously described
as H/N0. 18 Block NW 6022 Street, Breman and H/N0. Plot 30 Block C, Breman, to
be determined.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">At the trial, the Plaintiff narrated the history behind his acquisition
of the said property as follows:&nbsp; He
bought the disputed property which had been built up to the lintel level from
one Ama Serwaa in the year 1999 for nine (9) million Cedis as per the document
of transfer tendered as exhibit A, allocation note and site plan (exhibits B
and B1). The Plaintiff continued the construction, roofed the same and was
living in this house. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">Whilst working with Nana Opoku Baah, the Plaintiff encountered financial
difficulties as a result of which he sold this property to Nana Opoku Baah. The
Plaintiff transferred this house to Opoku Baah and this was evidenced by a
document of conveyance dated 2002 (exhibit C). This transfer was done in the
year 2002. Mr. &nbsp;Opoku Baah also run into
a debt, collected various sums of money from the Plaintiff and eventually sold
the house back to the Plaintiff. This time round, the deed of conveyance
(exhibit D) was prepared by one Lawyer Dapaa who is now a High Court Judge. He
explained that Breman stool lands are first sold by families who then take the
purchaser to the Bremanhene for a proper allocation paper to be issued. That
accounts for the two allocation papers in respect of the plot in issue (exhibit
E and E1). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">When Nana Opoku Baah sold the house back to the Plaintiff, he could not
trace the documents which the Plaintiff had given to him earlier on. This
necessitated the preparation of exhibit D by Lawyer Dapaa. Out of the blue, the
Plaintiff saw a notice of attachment which had been posted on this house. Upon
enquiries, he was informed that Nana Opoku Baah had used this house to secure
monies taken from Thomas Minkah. All this while, Opoku Baah lived in this house.
In cross examination, the Plaintiff denied that this property initially
belonged to their partnership. He said this property was his but he owed Opoku
Baah when he was a bank manager as a result of which he sold it to Opoku Baah.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">The Plaintiff called two witnesses, namely, Opoku Baah and Justice Kwasi
Dapaa who was formerly Lawyer Kwasi Dapaa (PW1 and PW2). PW1 said the building
in issue had been built up to the lintel level when he and the Plaintiff herein
bought it. He continued that even though they were doing business together, the
name used on this property was Kwabena Twum (i.e. the Plaintiff).When the
assets of the business were shared, the Plaintiff had the cars whilst the
building in issue went to PW1. As at the time exhibit C was made on 03/04/2002,
PW1 said the building had been completed so it was habitable. In 2008, the
building was transferred by PW1 to the Plaintiff for a consideration of GH¢10,000.00
and exhibit D was prepared. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">At the time of executing exhibit D, PW1 said he did not take the
documents covering the house to PW2. Even though the documents were in his
possession, PW1 said he did not also give them to Kwabena Twum. He said he
intended to give them to Kwabena Twum later&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
but they both forgot about it. He recounted the process by which the said documents
got into the Defendant’s (Thomas Minkah) possession. In short, he told the
court that these documents were taken from him under duress. According to PW1,
he knew he could settle his indebtedness with Thomas Minkah and take back</main>