RICHARD APPIAH-NKYI vs. NANA ACHINA NUAMAH [2016]DLSC2796

Date	2016-10-27
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J8/132/2016
Citation No.	[2016]DLSC2796

G. PWAMANG J.S.C. SITTING AS A SINGLE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT

MATTHEW APPIAH WITH HIM ALEX OBENG ASANTE FOR THE DEFENDANT/ APPELLANT/APPLICANT.

KOFI ADUWADOUR FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT.

[2016]DLSC2796
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >RICHARD APPIAH-NKYI<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>NANA ACHINA NUAMAH<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT,
ACCRA]<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">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. J8/132/2016&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;DATE: 27TH
OCTOBER, 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>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;
<o:p></o:p>MATTHEW APPIAH WITH HIM ALEX OBENG ASANTE FOR THE
DEFENDANT/ APPELLANT/APPLICANT.&nbsp; <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">

KOFI ADUWADOUR FOR THE
PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT/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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

G. PWAMANG J.S.C. SITTING AS A SINGLE
JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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>

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

</div>PWAMANG,
JSC.<o:p></o:p>On 27th June,
2016, the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal filed by the
defendant/appellant/applicant, hereafter referred to as “the applicant” against
a judgment of the Circuit Court, Kumasi. The Applicant felt aggrieved by the
decision of the Court of Appeal and since it was in respect of a judgment of a
court lower than the High Court, he applied for leave of the Court of Appeal in
order to appeal against its decision.&nbsp;
The Court of Appeal dismissed that application for leave upon a
preliminary objection raised by the plaintiff/respondent/respondent who will be
referred to as “the respondent” in this ruling. The Applicant has therefore
brought this application under Article 131(2) of the 1992 constitution praying
for special leave of this court to appeal against the judgment of the Court of
Appeal dated 27th June, 2016.<o:p></o:p>In the Circuit Court the
respondent claimed against the applicant &nbsp;among other reliefs for a declaration that six
plots of land at Twindurase within Assuowin Stool land in the Ashante Region were
granted to him in 1999 by Nana Etwi Kwaku, Odikro of Twindurase and Opanin
Akwasi Addai, Ahwerewa Abusuapanyin of Kotwi and that the grant was endorsed
and ratified in 2003 by applicant being the occupant of the Assuowin Stool. The
respondent stated that when the applicant ratified his grant he permitted him
to develop the plots pending the issuance of formal allocation papers upon
completion of a re-demarcation scheme applicant was then preparing for the area.<o:p></o:p>The respondent constructed
a wall around four of the plots and partially developed the other plots and
placed some cement blocks on them. Respondent subsequently contacted applicant
for the allocation papers and, even though he was prepared to pay customary
drinks to applicant in order to be given the papers, applicant refused to sign
them for him hence the suit. Applicant filed a defence wherein he denied the
grant to respondent and contended in the alternative that Nana Etwi Kwaku and
Opanin Akwasi Addai had no capacity to grant the land to respondent.&nbsp; He also denied ratifying or endorsing the
grant.<o:p></o:p>After a full trial in
which respondent testified and called two witnesses and applicant testified
without calling any witness, the trial judge held that Nana Etwi Kwaku as Odikro
of Twindurase and Opanin Akwasi Addai, as Ahwerewa Abusuapanyin of Kotwi acted
on behalf of Assuowin Stool in granting the land to respondent.&nbsp; The trial Circuit Court judge also found on
the evidence that applicant ratified the grant that was made to
respondent.&nbsp; He therefore entered
judgment for respondent. The applicant being dissatisfied with the judgment
appelled against it to the Court of appeal.<o:p></o:p>Strangely, in his written
submission in the Court of Appeal, respondent in whose favour the trial court
entered judgment questioned the holding of the judge that Nana Etwi Kwaku as
Odikro and the caretaker of Assuowin stool had capacity to grant the Divisional
Stool land. At paragraphs 38 and 39 of the Judgment of the Court of Appeal, it
is stated as follows:<o:p></o:p>“Contrary to the view the trial judge
held of the capacity of Nana Etwi Kwaku, counsel for plaintiff/respondent
argued that as a caretaker, Nana Etwi Kwaku lacked capacity to make the said grant.&nbsp; He referred to the definition and function of
an “Odikro” as stated in the Law of Chieftaincy in Ghana authored by His Lordship
Justice S. A. Brobbey (retired) in which the learned ju</main>