MAJOR M. K. LOTSU (RTD) vs. THE HEAD OF NIKOITSE WE OF KLANAA LABADI [2020]DLHC10425

Date	2020-02-10
Suit No.	SUIT NO.: LD/0017/2020
Citation No.	[2020]DLHC10425

HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE ELLEN VIVIAN AMOAH

KWABLA SENANU FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT PRESENT

G. H. QUIST FOR THE APPLICANT ABSENT

[2020]DLHC10425
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MAJOR M. K. LOTSU (RTD)<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE HEAD OF NIKOITSE WE OF KLANAA LABADI<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<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;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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NO.: LD/0017/2020&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE:
10TH
FEBRUARY, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>KWABLA SENANU FOR
THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT PRESENT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <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;">

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padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">G.
H. QUIST FOR THE APPLICANT ABSENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE ELLEN VIVIAN AMOAH<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="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;
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mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;The
applicant was served with the writ of summons accompanied with a statement of
claim filed on the 4th October 2019.&nbsp;
The gravamen of the applicants case is that in the said writ the
defendant was described as the head of
the Nikoitse We of Klanaa of Labadi, Labadi Accra. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;This
prompted the present&nbsp; application to set
aside the writ filed on the 4th of October, 2019. Brought under Order 9 Rule 8 (a) of CI 47.<o:p></o:p>The
applicant is saying that&nbsp; the defendant
in the writ of summons is not the same as the person who was served with the
writ of summons as the defendant. The applicant is called Nii Kotei Dzor I of
house no. 203/3 La Nkwantanang, Accra. He describes himself as the head and
lawful representative of the Nii Kotei We family of LA Nkwantanang family,
Accra. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Applicant
says&nbsp; that they are not the same persons
and that the head of the Nikoitse We of La was actually Nii Kotey Amli who is
now deceased. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The
applicant is residing in La Nkwantanang which is in Madina whereas the
defendant is referred to be in Labadi, Accra. So the process was served on the
wrong person and therefore it is applicant’s submission that that process must
be set aside so that proper process must be served.<o:p></o:p>The
applicant says Paragraph 4 of the affidavit in opposition cannot be correct
that the head and lawful representative of the Nikoitse We family of La
Nkwantanang is the same as the head of the Nikoitse We of Klanaa, Labadi.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Referring
to the &nbsp;supplementary affidavit filed by
the Respondent where an indenture made on the 22nd May, 1978 was
attached counsel for the applicant stated&nbsp;
that it was between E.B Abade Kotey the head of Nikoitse We of Klanaa,
Labadi and the plaintiff in this matter. This in applicant’s view means that
Respondent had&nbsp; proceeded against the
wrong person. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In
response Counsel for the Plaintiff stated that &nbsp;paragraph 6 of the affidavit in
opposition&nbsp; &nbsp;indicates that la Nkwantanang is a quarter of
Labadi and went into the entymological antecedents of the word “Labadi” stating
that it is because of the pejorative meaning attached to Labadi that is why
today it is called La simpliciter. <o:p></o:p>Counsel
for the Respondent further says that by a supplementary affidavit filed on the
24th October, 2019 their vendor &nbsp;says that he is the head Nikoitse We of Klanaa
Labadi, Accra therefore, in commencing this action they &nbsp;have by law sued the right person.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Refering
to the law on family relations in Ghana by Professor. Ekow Daniels 2019. At
page 37 he made reference to the following quotation:-<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“the head of his family as his chief
representative is the proper person to sue and to be sued in actions involving
the interest of the family.” Counsel for the Respondent cited Mensah Sarbah’s Fante Customary law at
page 37 and the case of&nbsp; &nbsp;Nyamekye
Vs Ansah 1988/89 2 GLR 152 Court of Appeal Decision to buttress his
position.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;