GABRIEL AHUTSI & ANOTHER vs. TORGBUI AGUDU 2 OTHERS [2015]DLCA7029

Date	2015-05-14
Suit No.	COURT OF APPEAL NO.: H1/67/2014
Citation No.	[2015]DLCA7029

OFOE (JA) (PRESIDING)

ACQUAYE (JA)

MARGARET WELBOURNE (JA)

MR. DAVID BONDORIN FOR APPELLANTS

MR. KWAME AFRIYIE FOR RESPONDENTS

[2015]DLCA7029
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >GABRIEL AHUTSI &amp; ANOTHER<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/APPS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>TORGBUI AGUDU 2 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/RESPS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>COURT
OF APPEAL NO.: &nbsp;H1/67/2014&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; DATE: 14TH MAY, 2015<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;border:none;
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padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">MR.
DAVID BONDORIN FOR APPELLANTS<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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>OFOE
(JA) (PRESIDING), ACQUAYE (JA), MARGARET WELBOURNE (JA)<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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</div>MARGARET WELBOURNE (JA)<o:p></o:p>This is an appeal against
the judgment of the Circuit Court dated 12th April, 2004.<o:p></o:p>The grounds of appeal
filed were as follows:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;a) That the learned judge of the Circuit Court
was wrong in holding that the land belongs to defendants. <o:p></o:p>b)
That the Circuit Court below failed to completely and absolutely consider the
case of the plaintiffs/appellants. <o:p></o:p>c)
That the judgment of the Court below is against the weight of evidence.<o:p></o:p>d)
Other grounds of appeal to be filed on receipt of records of proceedings. <o:p></o:p>e)
The judgment was otherwise erroneous in law.<o:p></o:p>The
background facts<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;By an action commenced at the Circuit Court,
Aflao, the plaintiffs claimed against the defendant the following reliefs: <o:p></o:p>a.
Declaration of title and ownership to all that piece and parcel of land
situate, lying and being at SAKANI AVOEME AFLAO and bounded as follows: On one
side by the property of Kofi Angey on another side by the property of Sewor
Mitsi; on the third side by the property of Mensavi Adogli; and on the fourth
side by Agbedanu Family Property.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;b. General damages for trespass committed by
the defendants on the said land. <o:p></o:p>c.
¢250.00 being cost of Ten (10) Coconut Trees felled by the defendants on plaintiffs'
land.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;d. Recovery of possession.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;e. Perpetual injunction restraining the
defendants, their agents, servants, privies, etc. from interfering with the
said piece of land. <o:p></o:p>f.
Punitive cost against the defendants.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In an action for declaration of title to land,
the burden of proof as provided for by the Evidence Act NRCD 323, is for the
plaintiff to prove ownership of the land and establish his root of title. <o:p></o:p>From the pleadings of the
parties there is an irresistible conclusion that Agbatogbui, the great
grandfather of the plaintiffs, did not origina</main>