EDMUND TORTO vs. ALICE OFOSUA MILLS [2016]DLCA4653

Date	2016-02-11
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO.H1/111/2015
Citation No.	[2016]DLCA4653

P. K. GYAESAYOR JA (PRESIDING)

A M. DORDZIE JA

L. L. MENSAH JA

MR. A. G. BOADU FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT

MR. J. K. LARKAI FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT

[2016]DLCA4653
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >EDMUND TORTO<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ALICE OFOSUA MILLS <o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT)<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;
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CIVIL APPEAL NO.H1/111/2015&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 11TH FEBRUARY, 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
A. G. BOADU FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT <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">

MR. J. K. LARKAI FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT<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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

P. K. GYAESAYOR JA (PRESIDING), A M.
DORDZIE JA, L. L. MENSAH JA<o:p></o:p>

</div><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" align="center" style="margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:
auto;text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>A.M.
DORDZIE JA:-<o:p></o:p>FACTS:<o:p></o:p><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:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">One Geoffrey Aduama (deceased) was one of the
partners that founded Eton Complex Schools. The said Geoffrey Aduama was
married to Alice Ofosua Mills the defendant/Respondent in this appeal (I will
hereafter refer to her as the defendant and the Plaintiff/appellant as the
plaintiff). The plaintiff is a representative of the estate of Geoffrey Aduama
and represents the interest of Eton Complex Schools Ltd. in the suit. <o:p></o:p><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:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">The plaintiff’s position is that the Eton
school was established in 1967 by Geoffrey Aduama, Mr. Lovi and Mr. Biney. The
three formed a partnership to establish the school. Geoffrey Aduama’s contribution
to the partnership was that he donated the land on which the school stands.<o:p></o:p><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:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">It is alleged by the plaintiff that the
defendant as a wife to Geoffrey Aduama held his interest in the partnership in
trust for him because he had to act as solicitor for the school at the same
time. In 1988 a dispute arose between Aduama and the wife due to the wife’s
assertion of interest in the school in her own right. The dispute ended up in a
suit in the High Court in which judgment was given against the defendant on the
11th of July 1988.<o:p></o:p><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:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">After the death of Geoffrey Aduama the
defendant took out an action at the Circuit Court claiming ownership of the
land on which the Eton Schools were built.<o:p></o:p><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:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">The plaintiff failed to participate in the
trial at the Circuit Court although he entered appearance and filed pleadings.
The defendant was declared owner of the said land in a judgment dated 21st
January 2010. The plaintiff appealed against the said judgment but did not
pursue the appeal and it was struck out.<o:p></o:p><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:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">The plaintiff subsequently instituted the
action culminating in this appeal in the High Court claiming the following:<o:p></o:p>a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<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:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">A declaration
that by virtue of the judgment of the High Court titled Geoffrey Aduama v Alice
Ofosua Mills dated 11th day of July 1988, Eton Complex Schools Ltd.
are the bona fide owners of the land on which the schools presently stand.<o:p></o:p>b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<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:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-lati</main>