REV. STEPHEN K. O. CHEMEL vs. KWEKU SARFO [2018]DLHC16527

Date	2018-12-10
Suit No.	SUIT NO. APL/3/14
Citation No.	[2018]DLHC16527

HIS LORDSHIP K. A. GYIMAH

STEVE GREY FOR PLAINTIFF/ RESPONDENT PRESENT.

CHARLES BAWADUAH FOR DEFENDANT/ APPELLANT PRESENT

[2018]DLHC16527
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >REV. STEPHEN K. O. CHEMEL <o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/ RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>KWEKU SARFO&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/
APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

SUIT NO. APL/3/14&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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:
10TH&nbsp;DECEMBER 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>STEVE
GREY FOR PLAINTIFF/ RESPONDENT PRESENT.<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

</div>&nbsp;<div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;Introduction<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;This is an appeal from a ruling of Her
Worship Emelia K. Abruquah (Mrs.) sitting at the Amasaman Magistrate Court
delivered on 10th December 2013. A summary of the facts that led to
the said ruling is provided below.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Summary
of Facts<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The plaintiff/respondent (plaintiff)
instituted an action against the defendant/ appellant (defendant) at the
Amasaman District Court claiming certain reliefs including declaration of title
and recovery of possession. Judgment was delivered on 24th July 2012
by Her Worship Mrs. Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku.&nbsp;
Although she held that none of the parties had been able to prove title
over the land in dispute, she further held that the plaintiff was the one in
possession of the property and she therefore awarded damages of Five Hundred
cedis in favour of the plaintiff.&nbsp; The
defendant’s late application for leave to appeal was refused.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The plaintiff therefore set into motion
the execution processes of the district court by applying for a formal decree
to issue and this was duly issued.&nbsp;
Counsel for the plaintiff had earlier on 21st November 2012
written a letter addressed to the defendant giving him notice to remove all his
items on the property and to vacate the land.&nbsp;
A copy of the letter can be found on page 122 of the record.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;From the record, the plaintiff found it
difficult serving the formal decree on the defendant. He therefore applied to
the court to serve the formal decree on the defendant by substituted service
which application was granted together with an order to serve the letter
written by counsel for the plaintiff on the defendant by substituted service.
When the order was served on the defendant, counsel for the defendant brought
an application to have the order and the service of the order on the defendant
set aside.&nbsp; The said application was
refused by the court and this has resulted in this present appeal.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Purely
interlocutory appeal<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It must be noted at the outset that
this is not an appeal against the final judgment of the district court sitting
at Amasaman but it is purely an interlocutory appeal against the refusal of the
district court to set aside its order of 1st February 2013.&nbsp; It is rather unfortunate that in the
reckoning of the time within which to appeal and the preparation of the appeal
records, the matter has been treated as an appeal against the final judgment of
the district court.&nbsp; I will in my
judgment treat the appeal for what it really is – an interlocutory appeal.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;