ABUSUAPANYIN KWABENA FRIMPONG vs. OPANIN KOFI AMOAKO [2018]DLCA4410

Date	2018-01-16
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL: H1/22/2017
Citation No.	[2018]DLCA4410

K. A. ACQUAYE JA (PRESIDING)

S. K. GYAN JA

M. M. AGYEMANG (MRS.) JA

MR. OWUSU ANSAH FOR PLAINTIFF / APPELLANT

[2018]DLCA4410
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ABUSUAPANYIN KWABENA FRIMPONG<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(PLAINTIFF/
APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>OPANIN KOFI AMOAKO&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(DEFENDANT/
RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL (CIVIL DIVISION), KOFORIDUA]<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:&nbsp; H1/22/2017&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; &nbsp;DATE: 16TH JANUARY, 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</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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K.
A. ACQUAYE JA (PRESIDING), S. K.&nbsp; GYAN
JA, M. M. AGYEMANG (MRS.) JA<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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JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>AGYEMANG, JA:<o:p></o:p>In this appeal against the ruling of the Circuit
Court, Koforidua, delivered on the 3rdday of August 2015, the plaintiff/appellant,
hereafter referred to as the appellant, seeks a setting aside of the ruling of
the court and seeking in its place a retrial by the Circuit Court differently
constituted.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The matter giving rise to the instant appeal is
sufficiently simple. The plaintiff, the Abusuapanyin of the Nana Anima lineage
of the Agona Royal Stool of Akyem Hweakwae, commenced an action against the defendant/respondent
herein (referred to as the defendant). The plaintiff sought the following
reliefs: an order that the defendant, at the time of causing the processing and
issue of the 10th January 2011 installation notice by the Registrar
of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Council, Akyem Oda, was not the legitimate
Abusuapanyin of the Akyem Hweakwae Agona Royal Stool; and, an order setting
aside the said installation notice for fraud, it being in contravention of the
S. 62(2) of the Chieftaincy Act of 2008 (Act 759).<o:p></o:p>The plaintiff averred in pleading that in view of
the imposition of an Abusuapanyin on the Akyem Hweakwae Agona Royal Stool by one
Nana Osei Agyemang Prempe Dwamena II, a disputed chief, proceedings were
instituted against the said gentleman regarding his legitimacy as the chief of
Akyem Hweakwae at the Judicial Committee of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Council.
It was at this time that the plaintiff, causing a search to be conducted at the
said Council, discovered that the defendant had on the 10th of
January 2011, caused the Registrar of the said Traditional Council to process
and issue an installation notice announcing himself to be the Abusuapanyin. It
was the plaintiff’s pleading that this purported invocation of S. 62(2) of the
Chieftaincy Act, 2008, Act 759 was done upon a fraudulent misrepresentation of
the defendant.<o:p></o:p>The defendant filed a statement of defence in which
he alleged that upon the demand by the people of Hweakwae for inter alia, an Abusuapanyin, he was
appointed to that position for which he paid aseda of GH¢200 and two bottles of
schnapps. He pleaded further that as the plaintiff failed to challenge this
timeously, he was estopped by conduct, laches and acquiescence, from doing so.
The defendant then raised the issue of the competence of the suit before the
Circuit Court, contending that it was a cause or matter affecting chieftaincy
regarding which the Circuit court had no jurisdiction. <o:p></o:p>The parties set out issues for determination which
the learned trial judge set down as issues for trial. On the date that trial
ought to have commenced, the learned trial judge in an apparent about-face struck
out the suit for want of jurisdiction, ruling that the suit was a matter
affecting chieftaincy.<o:p></o:p>It is against the said ruling that the instant
appeal has been brought. The appellant set out a single ground of appeal which
though inelegantly couched, complains that the learned trial judge made an
error of law when he held that the suit was a chieftai</main>