ALBERT BENTSI ADDISON vs. ADJOA OWUSUA [2016]DLCA8424

Date	2016-10-20
Suit No.	CIVIL SUIT:NO: H1/24/2016
Citation No.	[2016]DLCA8424

M.OWUSU (J.A.) – PRESIDING

ACQUAYE (J.A.)

WELBOURNE (J.A.)

MR. RICHARD T. ANKRAH FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

MR. CHARLES BAWADUAH FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2016]DLCA8424
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ALBERT BENTSI ADDISON<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">vs.<o:p></o:p>ADJOA OWUSUA<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<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 SUIT:NO:&nbsp; H1/24/2016&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 20TH OCT, 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR. RICHARD T. ANKRAH FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<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">

MR. CHARLES
BAWADUAH FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">CORAM:<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">

M.OWUSU
(J.A.) – PRESIDING, ACQUAYE (J.A.), WELBOURNE (J.A.)<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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>MARIAMA
OWUSU, J.A.:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On
21st August, 2014, the Circuit Court, Amasaman dismissed the
defendant’s counterclaim as not proved and gave judgment for the plaintiff for
all the reliefs endorsed on her writ of summons.<o:p></o:p>In
her judgment, the trial Judge held among other things as follows:<o:p></o:p>“I am satisfied on a
careful examination of the totality of the evidence led that the plaintiff
adduced sufficient evidence to establish her claim on a balance of probabilities.&nbsp; With regard to the defendant’s counterclaim,
she failed to prove her title to plot number 92 and did not lead any evidence
to prove the special damages claimed.&nbsp; I
dismiss the defendant’s counterclaim and enter judgment in favour of the plaintiff
for all the reliefs endorsed on her writ of summons.<o:p></o:p>Having regard to the
four bedroom house built on plot 92, I shall award nominal damages of
Gh¢1,000.00 to the plaintiff.<o:p></o:p>In respect of costs,
I shall consider the length of the trial, the number of witnesses called,
travel expenses to court, the fact that plaintiff engaged counsel and award
costs of Gh¢2,500 to the plaintiff.”<o:p></o:p>Dissatisfied
with the decision of the trial court, the defendant appealed to the Court of
Appeal on the following grounds:<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
judgment is against the weight of evidence adduced at the trial.<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
learned trial Judge erred in giving judgment in favour of the
plaintiff/respondent.<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">iii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;