MADAM ADWOA SERWAAH vs. KWADWO BAAFI AND 2 OTHERS [2017]DLCA5150

Date	2017-02-16
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO: H1/03/2017
Citation No.	[2017]DLCA5150

E. K. AYEBI J.A. (PRESIDING)

G. TORKORNOO (MRS) J.A.

A. M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS.) J.A.

[2017]DLCA5150
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MADAM ADWOA SERWAAH<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>KWADWO BAAFI AND 2
OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<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: H1/03/2017&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 16TH FEBRUARY, 2017<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>E.
K. AYEBI J.A. (PRESIDING), G. TORKORNOO (MRS) J.A., A. M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS.)
J.A.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
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solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>DOMAKYAAREH
(MRS), J. A.<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
This appeal arose from litigation among
members of the same family concerning the management of their family property. The
plaintiff/respondent herein sued the defendants/appellants in her capacity as
the eldest female member of their maternal family on her own behalf and on
behalf of the maternal members of her said family. The 1st defendant/appellant
is their Head of Family and the 2nd and 3rd defendants/appellants
are biological sons of the plaintiff/respondent who have been appointed by the
1st defendant/appellant as caretakers of his stewardships of the
family property due to his old age and ill-health.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The plaintiff/respondent claimed the
following reliefs at the trial court, namely:-<o:p></o:p>“a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
declaration that the under listed properties belong to the plaintiffs immediate
maternal family, namely;<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Century Gothic&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Century Gothic&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Century Gothic&quot;">(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
All
that story building house on plot number M/S BLK 4, Kumawu, Ashanti<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Century Gothic&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Century Gothic&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Century Gothic&quot;">(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
All
that parcel of cocoa farms situate, being and lying at a place commonly known
and called “Twabidi” on Tepa Stool land and “Bepokoko” on Kumawu stool land <o:p></o:p>b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order compelling the 1st defendant as head of the family and
customary successor to account for his stewardship in respect of the properties
mentioned in relief “a” above.<o:p></o:p>c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order compelling the defendants to hand over the properties mentioned in relief
“a” above to the plaintiff on account of the defendants mismanagement and
dissipating of same to the detriment of the members of the family.<o:p></o:p>d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Perpetual
injunction restraining the defendants, his agents, assigns having any way
interfering with the properties mentioned in relief “a” above.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The central facts around which the dispute
arose are not in dispute. These are that the properties claimed in the reliefs
are family property and that the 1st defendant/appellant is the
customary successor and Head of family of the Parties.<o:p></o:p>