J.K. OWUSU vs. JOSEPH TUFFOUR OSEI AND OTHERS [2016]DLSC3194

Date	2016-07-28
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/6/2013
Citation No.	[2016]DLSC3194

DOTSE JSC. (PRESIDING)

YEBOAH JSC

GBADEGBE JSC

AKAMBA JSC

PWAMANG JSC.

MUJEEB RAHMAN AHMED FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT/RESPONDENT WITH HIM ANNIS MOHAYIDEEN

KWASI AFRIFA FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT

[2016]DLSC3194
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >J.K. OWUSU<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>JOSEPH TUFFOUR OSEI AND
OTHERS<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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/6/2013&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 28TH
JULY, 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>MUJEEB RAHMAN AHMED FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT/RESPONDENT WITH
HIM ANNIS MOHAYIDEEN <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">

KWASI AFRIFA 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;
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DOTSE
JSC. (PRESIDING), YEBOAH JSC, GBADEGBE JSC, AKAMBA JSC, AND PWAMANG 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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>ANIN YEBOAH, JSC.<o:p></o:p>The
appellant herein commenced an action at the High Court, Kumasi, in his capacity
as a principal member for an on behalf of himself and other members of William
Buachie Aphram family of Abrepo. The action was for a declaration of title to a
property described as H/№ OTB 589, Asomfo Road, Kumasi, and other ancillary
reliefs against the respondent herein.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>From
both the pleadings and the evidence placed before the trial court, certain
material facts were not in controversy.&nbsp;
The said William Buachie Aphram acquired the leasehold, the subject-matter
of these proceedings from the Asantehene in February of 1945 for a period of
ninety-eight years and two months.&nbsp; The
lessee put up a building on the leasehold property. Later the said Buachie
Aphram granted a sub-lease of the property in dispute to one John Melekos for a
period of fifty years.&nbsp; The sub-lease
expired on 27/02/2001.&nbsp; Upon the
expiration of the sub-lease the plaintiff wrote to the defendant to vacate the
property but the defendant refused to vacate.&nbsp;
It appears that there were some people occupying the property which the
trial court and the Court of Appeal described as trespassers.&nbsp; The plaintiff wrote to them to vacate but he
was equally ignored.&nbsp; However, in August
of 2001 the defendant wrote a letter to the plaintiff that the
occupants/trespassers were his tenants. It thus appeared that the defendant asserted
title to the property at that point in time. <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On
the part of the defendant, it was pleaded that indeed there was the original
lease and sub-lease on the property but that when Buachie Aphram died and
before the sub-lease expired, the sub-lessee, John Melekos acting per his
attorney one Nicholas Smyrnioudes by a deed and for valuable consideration in
March of 1968 assigned the residue of the sub-lease to the defendant.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>After
the death of the original lessee William Buachie Aphram on 20th
September, 1973, one Frank Obeng Aphram his successor and head of family,
obtained financial assistance of Gh¢10,000,000.00 from the defendant to repay
same without interest on or before the 31st of December 2000 and
offered the property in dispute as security with the promise that upon default
the defendant would have the right to take possession and the plaintiff would
forfeit his right to the property.&nbsp; This
transaction was reduced into writing and executed by both parties in presence
of two members of the appellant’s family who as illiterates thumbprinted.&nbsp; The respondent, based on the facts pleaded
put up a counterclaim for an order of specific performance against Frank Obeng
Aphram.&nbsp; The respondent also sought
perpetual injunction as an ancillary relief.&nbsp;
When the counterclaim was served on Frank Obeng Aphram, he entered
appearance and filed statement of defence.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Given
the nature of the case and the fact that several admissions were made, few
issues emerged for determination by the learned trial judge.&nbsp; On the 23/4/2007, the trial judge after
considering the evidence on record gave judgment for the appellant and
proceeded to dismiss the counterclaim of the respondent.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
respondent lodged an appeal to the Court of Appeal, Kumasi, on two main
grounds; namely: “The judgment is unreasonable and cannot be supported having
regard to the evidence and lastly, the award of damages against the defendant
is erroneous in law”<o:p></o:p>