EVANS QUARSHIE & 14 ORS vs. WILLIAM KPORMATSI [2020]DLCA10027

Date	2020-11-26
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO.: H1/23/2020
Citation No.	[2020]DLCA10027

B. ACKAH-YENSU JA (PRESIDING)

L. L. MENSAH JA

H. KWOFIE JA

RAPHAEL ALIJINA FOR THE PLAITIFFS/RESPONDENTS

[2020]DLCA10027
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >EVANS QUARSHIE &amp; 14
ORS<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>WILLIAM KPORMATSI<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/ APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, 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;">

CIVIL
APPEAL NO.: H1/23/2020&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:
26TH NOVEMBER, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<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;">

RAPHAEL
ALIJINA FOR THE PLAITIFFS/RESPONDENTS<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>B. ACKAH-YENSU JA
(PRESIDING), L. L. MENSAH JA, H. KWOFIE JA<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none;
mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;<a name="_Hlk13039370">B. ACKAH-YENSU, JA<o:p></o:p></a>INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p>The fundamental issue
for determination in the instant appeal, is the correctness or otherwise of the
exercise of the trial Court’s discretion in subsequently granting the
Plaintiffs/Respondents application for an Order for Recovery of Possession when
it was not contained in his earlier judgment.&nbsp;
The appeal is from the Ruling of the High Court (Land Division) Accra,
dated 26th June 2018 in an application for Recovery of
Possession.&nbsp; We want to categorically
state right from the onset that this judgment is not in respect of the
Appellant’s appeal against the judgment of the trial court dated 27th
July, 2017.&nbsp; The said appeal was
withdrawn on 27th November, 2017, and we shall not be seen to be
entertaining any attempt to sneak the said appeal in through the back door.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Background
Facts<o:p></o:p>The brief background
facts in this appeal are as follows:&nbsp; The
Plaintiffs/Respondents (hereinafter referred to as “Respondents”), issued a Writ
of Summons in the High Court (Land Division), Accra against Defendant/Appellant
(hereinafter referred to as “Appellant”), for:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Declaration of title to the land in
dispute;<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Damages
for trespass;<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Recovery
of possession;<o:p></o:p>d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An order of perpetual injunction
restraining Defendant, his assigns, agents, representatives, privies, and all
persons claiming through him from interfering with Plaintiffs’ ownership and
use of the land;<o:p></o:p>e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Special damages being value of
Plaintiffs’ building structures Defendant demolished on the land; and<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;f)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Costs”.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;From the Statement of
Claim attached to the writ, Respondents claimed 31.20 acres of land.&nbsp; They traced their root of title to the Chief
of Amrahia who is also the Head of the Nii Amoah Okromansah family of Amrahia,
Accra, and their root of title was based on customary grants some of which were
later confirmed by leases.&nbsp; The
Respondents alleged that the Appellant trespassed onto their land by causing
his workmen to pull down some of Respondents’ building structures on the land
and commenced building under protection of land guards<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In the Appellant’s Statement
of Defence, he claimed that he acquired four (4) parcels of land from one
Elizabeth Lomoteley Peterson who had freehold interest in 219.89 acres of land
she acquired from the aforementioned Nii Amoah Okromansah family of Amrahia.&nbsp; Appellant stated that his 4 parcels of land were
carved out of the 219.89 acres.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It was Respondents’
contention that their land measuring a total of 31.20 acres, did not fall
within the 219.89 acres acquired by the said Elizabeth Lomoteley Peterson.&nbsp; Respondent filed an application for
interlocutory injunction on the same day that they issued the writ.&nbsp; The trial judge granted the application and
further directed the Regional Director, Survey and Mapping Division of the
Lands Commission, Accra to draw a composite plan to determine whether the land
in dispute fell within the Appellant’s grantor’s land.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;A representative of
the Regional Director of the Survey and Mapping Division of the Lands
Commission carried out his duties under the court order and tendered his report
in evidence.&nbsp; He was cross-examined by
Counsel for the Parties.&nbsp; According to
the trial Judge, Counsel for the Parties agreed with the trial Judge that the
evidence of the Surveyor could dispose of the case.&nbsp; There is no evidence of this by way of
proceedings, however Counsel for the Parties did file written addresses to
assist the Judge deliver his judgment.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;