DOROTHY AMA AMPONSAH vs. JACOB KWADWO AMPONSAH [2020]DLHC11757

Date	2020-02-07
Suit No.	SUIT NO.C12/240/2019
Citation No.	[2020]DLHC11757

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE FRANCIS OBIRI

MICHAEL GYANG OWUSU FOR THE APPLICANT/RESPONDENT

AUGUSTINE ASANTE FOR THE RESPONDENT/APPLICANT

[2020]DLHC11757
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >IN THE
MATTER OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT, 2007 (ACT 732)<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;AND<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;IN THE
MATTER OF APPLICATION FOR PROTECTION ORDER UNDER<o:p></o:p>SECTION 12
OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT, 2007 (ACT 732) BY DOROTHY AMA AMPONSAH<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;DOROTHY AMA AMPONSAH<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>JACOB KWADWO AMPONSAH<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, KUMASI]<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;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">SUIT NO.C12/240/2019&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:
7TH FEBRUARY 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>MICHAEL GYANG OWUSU FOR THE APPLICANT/RESPONDENT<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" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">AUGUSTINE ASANTE FOR THE
RESPONDENT/APPLICANT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE FRANCIS OBIRI<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-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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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;&nbsp;I have listened to the submissions by counsel
for both parties as to whether the substantive application must be referred to
the Chief Justice to determine the forum convenience for the determination of
the substantive matter.<o:p></o:p>Counsel for the Applicant
herein who is the Respondent in the substantive application (hereinafter called
the Applicant) referred this court to section 105 of Act 459 and prayed that based
on the said section, the substantive application should be referred to the
Chief Justice to determine the forum convenience. He also referred the court to
CI 47. Counsel for the Respondent herein who is the Applicant in the
substantive motion (hereinafter called the Respondent) contends otherwise. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>In the substantive application,
the Respondent in this preliminary legal objection gave her address as House
number P52/K Penkwase-Sunyani.&nbsp; She gave
the residential address of the Applicant herein as E. Hotel, Nsuta, High Street
near Mampong.&nbsp; The substantive
application is in respect of the Respondent herein and her children who live at
Penkwase in Sunyani.&nbsp; The substantive
application has been brought under section 12 of the Domestic Violence Act,
2007 (Act 732).<o:p></o:p>The Court’s Act, 1993(Act
459) regulates general proceedings in courts in all matters that is both civil
and criminal. &nbsp;The Civil Procedure Rules,
2004 (CI 47) regulates all civil proceedings in Ghana at the High Courts and
the Circuit Courts.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>The substantive
application is under the Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732). Act 732 is a
specific legislation on Domestic Violence and not a general legislation.&nbsp; As I have stated earlier, the substantive
application is under section 12 of Act, 732.&nbsp;
Section 12 (1) of Act, 732 provides for a situation where protective
order can be obtained from a court in domestic violence case.<o:p></o:p>Section 12 (2) of Act 732
provides the forum where such application can be made.&nbsp; It provides as follows:<o:p></o:p>12 (2) the application may
be filed in a court situated where<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" 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;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The applicant resides,
carries on business or is employed.<o:p></o:p></spa</main>