ROBERT AMASSAH KOTEY vs. ISAAC NARTEY AND 3 OTHERS [2018]DLSC3049

Date	2018-11-26
Suit No.	SUIT NO: FAL/23/12
Citation No.	[2018]DLSC3049

ALEXANDER OSEI TUTU J. SITTING AS A JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

GABRIEL KUDITCHIR FOR JAMES OWURA MENSAH ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF PRESENT

ADJEI LARTEY ESQ. FOR THE DEFENDANTS ABSENT

[2018]DLSC3049
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>ROBERT AMASSAH KOTEY<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ISAAC NARTEY AND 3 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT( LAND DIVISION), 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">

SUIT
NO: FAL/23/12&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 26TH NOVEMBER, 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:
GABRIEL KUDITCHIR FOR JAMES OWURA MENSAH ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF PRESENT<o:p></o:p>ADJEI
LARTEY ESQ. FOR THE DEFENDANTS ABSENT<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="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;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">CORAM: ALEXANDER OSEI TUTU J. SITTING AS A JUSTICE
OF THE HIGH COURT<o:p></o:p>

</div><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

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

</div>The
Plaintiff commenced this action on 12th October 2011. The reliefs contained
in the endorsement on the writ of summons are:<o:p></o:p>a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A
Declaration of title to all that piece of land at Apese Abormenya measuring an
approximate area of 4.60 acres or 1.60 hectares. <o:p></o:p>b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Recovery
of possession of the said land.<o:p></o:p>c.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;Perpetual injunction against the Defendants
and their workmen, agents, privies, etc.<o:p></o:p>d.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
General
Damages for trespass.<o:p></o:p>e.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Any
further order (s) as to this Court may appear just.<o:p></o:p>The
Defendants filed a common defence on 1st November 2011 which was
replied to by the Plaintiff on 7th December 2011. It appears that
only the first and the fourth Defendants entered an appearance, while the second
and third Defendant filed none as enjoined by the rules of Court (See Order 9 of C.I. 47). <o:p></o:p>Nevertheless,
the defence they filed cannot be ignored. Ofoe J.A. in the case of Samuel Kakra Mensah v. Christopher
Kwablaligbidi [2014] 75 G. M. J. 157, C.A. at pages 167 -168 held: “In
the Supreme Court case of Major Mac Dorbi v. Richard Frimpong Civil Appeal No.
J4/45/2011, even though the 2nd defendant did not enter appearance
or file any defence in the trial, the Supreme Court held that in so far as he
participated fully in the trial, non-entry of appearance or his failure to file
a defence would not deny him the benefit of the judgment.” &nbsp;<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On 27th
September 2011, the Court adopted the following issues filed by the Plaintiff
as the issues for determination:<o:p></o:p>a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether
or not the Plaintiff is the bona fide owner of the land in question.<o:p></o:p>b.