ALHAJI ADAMU WALA AND NII AWULEY AHIAKU IV (PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS) vs. MOHAMMED WAZIRI (DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT) [2019]DLCA7826

ALHAJI ADAMU WALA AND NII AWULEY AHIAKU IV (PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS) vs. MOHAMMED... [2019]DLCA7826

Date	2019-03-14
Suit No.	SUIT NO HI/156/2018
Citation No.	[2019]DLCA7826

ADJEI J.A

TORKORNOO J.A

GAISIE J.A

NANA SAKYIWA FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS

MOHAMMED AWAL ALHASSAN FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONSENT

[2019]DLCA7826
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ALHAJI ADAMU WALA AND NII AWULEY AHIAKU IV<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p>MOHAMMED WAZIRI<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

SUIT
NO HI/156/2018&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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:
14TH MARCH, 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>NANA
SAKYIWA FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

MOHAMMED
AWAL ALHASSAN FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONSENT<o:p></o:p>

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

ADJEI
J.A, TORKORNOO J.A, GAISIE J.A<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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div>ADJEI, J.A:<o:p></o:p>The High Court, Accra on 29th
May, 2015 dismissed the suit filed by the plaintiffs and granted the reliefs
sought by the Defendant on his counterclaim including an order declaring the
Defendant as the substantive Sariki Zongo chief of A-Lang Community. <o:p></o:p>The plaintiffs, dissatisfied
with the decision rendered by the trial High Court in the matter, filed an
appeal to this Court on 10th June, 2015. For the purposes of this
appeal, the Plaintiffs/Appellants and the Defendant/Respondent shall maintain
their original designations before the trial court as Plaintiffs and Defendant
respectively.<o:p></o:p>The brief facts of the case
before the trial High Court were that the plaintiffs brought an action for the
court to declare the first Plaintiff the substantive Muslim Chief of the Muslim
community in A Lang, an order restraining the Defendant from usurping the functions
of the Muslim Chief of A-Lang Muslim Community, and a further order restraining
the Defendant from styling himself as the chief of A-Lang Muslim Community.<o:p></o:p>The Defendant also
counterclaimed against the Plaintiffs jointly and severally for a declaration
that he is the substantive Sariki Zongo of A-Lang Zongo Community, a &nbsp;further declaration that the second Plaintiff has
no&nbsp; capacity to impose the 1st
plaintiff or any other person as Sariki Zongo of A-Lang Zongo community,&nbsp; an order of perpetual injunction restrainng
the 1st plaintiff from representing himself as Sariki Zongo of
A-Lang Zongo community, an order of perpetual injunction restraining the plaintiffs
from&nbsp; interfering with the defendant’s
performance of his duties as substantive Sariki Zongo (Zongo chief) of A-Lang
Zongo community. <o:p></o:p>The High Court after having
gone through the trial dismissed the plaintiffs’ claim on the basis that the determination
of who the Head of Community is is not a cause or matter affecting chieftaincy
and cannot, therefore, be by succession unless the parties by themselves agree.
On the other hand, where a community agrees on the mode of selecting or
appointing the Head of Community it may be followed. However, where there is
none, the people may decide the mode. This may include an election which is
grounded on democratic principles.<o:p></o:p>The plaintiffs, dissatisfied
with the decision of the trial High Court, filed an appeal against same to this
Court. The grounds of appeal are as follows:<o:p></o:p>“ a. The judgment is against
the weight of evidence.<o:p></o:p>b. The trial judge erred
when he adjudged the conferring of honouring chieftaincy title by traditional
authorities as imposition of a leader on A-Lang community contrary to democratic
principles of election.<o:p></o:p>c. The trial judge erred
when it allowed </main>