JAKE KWARTENG ACHEAMPONG vs. AMPOFO EDUSEI AND A.M. AMACO COMPLEX VENTURES [2015]DLCA8303

Date	2015-05-14
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/88/2013
Citation No.	[2015]DLCA8303

MARIAMA OWUSU JA (PRESIDING)

ADUAMA OSEI JA

DORDZIE JA

AKUFFO ADDO PREMPEH FOR APPELLANTS

MR. KOFI SOMUAH FOR RESPONDENT

[2015]DLCA8303
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >JAKE
KWARTENG ACHEAMPONG<o:p></o:p>( PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT )<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>AMPOFO EDUSEI AND A.M. AMACO
COMPLEX VENTURES<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</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:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/88/2013&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>AKUFFO ADDO PREMPEH FOR APPELLANTS<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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MR. KOFI SOMUAH FOR
RESPONDENT<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;
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MARIAMA OWUSU JA
(PRESIDING), ADUAMA OSEI JA, DORDZIE JA<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>ADUAMA OSEI<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>By
his writ of summons issued in the Fast Track Division of the High Court on the
23rd of September, 2008, the Plaintiff/Respondent claimed against
the Defendants/Appellants a declaration of title to a parcel of land situate at
Nmai Dzorn in Accra, containing an approximate area of 4.13 acres or 1.67
hectares. The Plaintiff/Respondent also claimed recovery of possession of the
said parcel of land, damages for trespass, and perpetual injunction to restrain
the Defendants/Appellants, their assigns, privies, workmen and agents from
dealing with the land in any manner whatsoever.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On
the 27th of July, 2011, the trial Court delivered its judgment in
which it granted the Plaintiff/Respondent all the reliefs he prayed for. Not
satisfied with the decision of the trial Court, the Defendants/Appellants have
appealed against the same to this Court, and this is our judgment in the appeal.
The Notice of Appeal is at pages 216 and 217 of the Appeal Record and the
judgment of the trial Court is at page 331 to page 362 of the said Record. In
this judgment, the Plaintiff/Respondent is referred to as “the Plaintiff” and the Defendants/Appellants are referred to as “the Defendants”.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
grounds of appeal as disclosed on the Notice of Appeal are quoted hereunder:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“i) The
judgment is against the weight of evidence.<o:p></o:p>“ii) The
learned trial judge misdirected himself on the question of burden of proof.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp; &nbsp;The
particulars of misdirection are as follows:<o:p></o:p>a)<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
learned trial judge failed to apportion the burden of proof on the parties at
various stages of the trial;<o:p></o:p>b)<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
learned trial judge held that Plaintiff carries the burden of proof, but held
at the same breath, that the Defence has to establish the converse of the
issues set down for trial.<o:p></o:p>“iii) The learned trial judge erred in law when he cancelled the Land
Title Certificate of Defendant’s grantor on grounds of fraud and or mistake.<o:p></o:p>“iv) The learned trial judge erred in law when he held that Defendants’
grantors’ grant required the concurrence of the Minister of Lands.<o:p></o:p>“v) The learned trial judge failed to appreciate the legal consequence
of the Supreme Court judgment in the case of Adjetey Agbosu and others v.
Ebenezer Nikoi Kotey &amp; ors dated 5th May, 2004, with regard to
Defendants’ grantor’s title acquired subsequent to the </main>