OPANIN YAW FRIMPONG vs. KOFI MENSAH AND 2 OTHERS [2018]DLCA5335

Date	2018-07-23
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H1/30/2017
Citation No.	[2018]DLCA5335

ADUAMA OSEI J.A. (PRESIDING)

DZAMEFE J. A.

WELBOURNE (MRS) J. A.

KWABENA OWUSU MENSAH FOR PLAINTIFF/ APPELLANT.

DICKSON OSEI –ASIBEY ANDREW ACQUAY WITH HIM LED BY ASIEDU BASOAH

FOR DEFENDANTS/ RESPONDENTS.

[2018]DLCA5335
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >OPANIN YAW FRIMPONG<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>KOFI MENSAH AND 2 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/RESPONDENTS)<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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:
auto;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">SUIT NO. H1/30/2017&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE:
23RDJULY, 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>KWABENA
OWUSU MENSAH FOR PLAINTIFF/ APPELLANT.<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">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">DICKSON
OSEI –ASIBEY, ANDREW ACQUAY WITH HIM LED BY ASIEDU BASOAH FOR DEFENDANTS/
RESPONDENTS.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>ADUAMA OSEI J.A. (PRESIDING), DZAMEFE
J. A., WELBOURNE (MRS) J. A.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;border-right:none;
padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>WELBOURNE, JA<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Brief Facts:<o:p></o:p>The
facts of the instant case as narrated by the Counsel for the Plaintiff is as
follows:<o:p></o:p>The Plaintiff, Opanin YawFrimpong is
suing in his capacity as the current Abusuapanin of the Aburaso Stool and is
recognized by OtumfourOsei-Tutu, the Asantehene as such. According to the
Plaintiff, Aburaso was founded by his ancestors; Yaw Kwakurakwa of blessed
memory. Yaw Kwakurakwa created a stool for his son; NyantengKwabena (also of
blessed memory) and placed the two (2) stools (of father and son) together in
one room. There were certain periods in their history where the son’s stool
litigated and signed documents for and on behalf of the Aburaso Stool. <o:p></o:p>In the course of time, litigation on
land arose between the Aburaso Stool and the son’s stool which travelled as far
as the Gold Coast Supreme Court which ruled in the favour of the Plaintiff’s
predecessor, KojoAsumadu against the predecessor of the Defendants’ by name
KojoAboagye II. The Plaintiff’s family belongs to the Ekuona clan but are
members of the Oyoko Division of Asanteman together with the Defendants’
family. The Plaintiff’s case is that as a result of the chieftaincy dispute in
the locality, the AsanteheneOtumfourOsei Tutu has nominated him to be the
caretaker of the Aburaso Stool and its properties. He is to do this in
conjunction with the Queen mother of Aburaso who is now deceased. The 1st
and 2nd Defendants are residents of Aburaso and members of the Oyoko
family. The 3rd Defendant is the Abusuapanin of the Oyoko family of
Aburaso and purports that his family owns all the lands at Aburaso. <o:p></o:p>It is the case of the Plaintiff that as
the Abusuapanin of the Aburaso Stool, he is in charge of all family properties
including a piece of plot located at Aburaso, precisely a place known as plot
numbers 10b and 10c. The said parcel of land is located near the market and on
the left side on the way to the new palace. <o:p></o:p>On or about the 15th day of
October, 2015, Defendants unlawfully entered the said land and have started
erecting a foundation for the purpose of building a house. Numerous attempts to
restrain the Defendants from going ahead with the unlawful act have fallen on
deaf ears, hence a resort to the court room for the assertion of the reliefs
endorsed on the Writ of Summons and the Statement of Claims as follows:<o:p></o:p>“a declaration of title and recovery of possession of all
that stretch of land located at the place referred to as a plot numbers 10b and
10c and located near the market and on the left side on way to the new palace;
a declaration of title to all Aburaso lands; perpetual injunction restraining
the Defendants, their assigns, privies and whatever name called from interfering
with the said land and any other land at Aburaso; cost; and damages for
trespassing”.<o:p></o:p>At pages 22 and 23 of the ROA, the
following ensued. <o:p></o:p>“By Court:<o:p></o:p>