OFORI AGYEKUM vs. MADAM AKUA BIO [2016]DLSC2858

Date	2016-04-13
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/59/2014
Citation No.	[2016]DLSC2858

ATUGUBA JSC. [PRESIDING]

ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC

ANIN YEBOAH JSC

BENIN JSC

AKAMBA JSC.

OBENG MANU (JNR) ESQ. FOR THE DEFENDANT /RESPONDENT/APPELLANT.

F. K. BUOR ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT/RESPONDENT

[2016]DLSC2858
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >OFORI AGYEKUM<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>MADAM AKUA BIO<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[SUPREME COURT, 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. J4/59/2014&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 13TH APRIL, 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>OBENG MANU (JNR) ESQ.&nbsp; FOR THE DEFENDANT /RESPONDENT/APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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F.&nbsp;
K.&nbsp; BUOR ESQ. FOR THE
PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT/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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ATUGUBA JSC. [PRESIDING], ADINYIRA
(MRS) JSC, ANIN YEBOAH JSC, BENIN JSC, AND AKAMBA JSC.<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>BENIN, JSC:-&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>My Lords, the issue that
is raised in this appeal is a familiar one, familiar in the sense that since
the promulgation of the Intestate Succession Law, 1985, PNDCL 111, upon the
death intestate of a person, the extended family immediately argues that the
immoveable property that the deceased’s immediate family seek to enjoy is the
property of the extended family. The deceased’s immediate and extended family
would therefore embark upon oftentimes protracted litigation to determine
whether or not the property in question is the self-acquired property of the
deceased or that of his extended family. This is one of such cases that we are
called upon to finally resolve. The good intentions behind the promulgation of
PNDCL 111 have unfortunately resulted in a new wave of litigation, and who
knows when this type of litigation will end, especially given the fact that a
lot of properties acquired in this country have been, and continue to be, done
through customary grant of land without any form of title registration. And so
it happened in this case that as soon as Opanin Yaw Manu of Mamponteng-Ashanti
died in the year 2001, his customary successor, the
defendant/respondent/appellant herein, hereafter called the defendant, assumed
full control of all the assets, both moveable and immoveable, which the children
of the deceased claimed were owned by him. The children of the late Opanin Yaw
Manu, who are being represented in these proceedings by one of their number called
Ofori Agyekum, resisted the defendant’s control over their late father’s assets,
saying property numbered EB 26, subsequently re-numbered as Plot 11C, Block F,
situate at Mamponteng was their father’s self-acquired property. The
defendant’s position was that Opanin Yaw Manu only enjoyed this property as
caretaker for his life since it was family property. Thus the familiar issue whether
or not the property in dispute numbered EB 26 but renumbered as Plot 11C, Block
F, Mamponteng is the self-acquired property of the late Opanin Yaw Manu or that
of his extended family. Indeed it was the key issue to be resolved on the
pleadings between the plaintiff/appellant/respondent, hereafter called the
plaintiff and the defendant; all other issues are ancillary and not quite
controversial.<o:p></o:p>By the endorsement on the
amended writ of summons the plaintiff sought these reliefs against the
defendant:<o:p></o:p>i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A declaration that H/No. EB 26 renumbered
as Plot 11C, Block F, Mamponteng-Ashanti was the self-acquired property of
Opanin Yaw Manu (deceased).<o:p></o:p>ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A declaration that the distribution of
H/No. Plot 11C, Block F Mamponteng-Ashanti as well as the intestate estate of
the late Opanin Yaw Manu is governed by the Intestate Succession Law, 1985,
PNDCL 111.<o:p></o:p>iii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Damages for trespass.<o:p></o:p>