DALIKE DZATA AND JOHN DOE GADRI vs. KOFI AGBENYO [2021]DLCA10018

Date	2021-02-26
Suit No.	SUIT NO. HI/03/2020
Citation No.	[2021]DLCA10018

OFOE J.A

BARTELS-KODWO J.A

BERNASKO ESSAH J.A

[2021]DLCA10018
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DALIKE DZATA AND JOHN DOE GADRI<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/RES/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>KOFI AGBENYO<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPL/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, HO-VOLTA]<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;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">SUIT NO. HI/03/2020&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE:
26TH FEBRUAURY,2021<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p>OFOE
J.A, BARTELS-KODWO J.A, BERNASKO ESSAH J.A<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;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;tab-stops:36.0pt 72.0pt 108.0pt 144.0pt 180.0pt 216.0pt 252.0pt 288.0pt 318.0pt;
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;OFOE,J.A:<o:p></o:p>This
case on appeal before us originated from the District Court, Ave Dakpa, in the
Volta Region. It was a case which was wholly home brewed in the sense that the
parties prepared the court processes themselves and conducted their case
without legal assistance. After they had filed their respective cases the trial
magistrate found it fit to order pleadings. Again, these were filed by the
parties without any legal assistance. At the conclusion of trial before the
magistrate court the plaintiff had judgment. The defendant successfully
appealed against the judgment to the High Court. It is this High Court judgment
which is on further appeal to this court. We will maintain the description of
the parties as plaintiffs and defendant as they were in the trial court. A brief
back ground of the case should make our opinion clearer.<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiff sued the defendant in the District Court for:<o:p></o:p>“1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
A declaration of title and recovery of possession to a piece and parcel of land
situate at Ave Kpedome (boundaries supplied)<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Perpetual
injunction against the appellant, his agents, assigns, privies and workmen.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
An Order directed at the appellant to account for 100 palm trees or its
equivalent value of GHC2000 being trees that were uprooted without respondent’s
consent.<o:p></o:p>4.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Damages for trespass and <o:p></o:p>5.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Punitive Cost”.<o:p></o:p>He
was joined in the course of proceedings by the 2nd plaintiff. By
their pleadings they sought declaration of title to land which they described
as follows:<o:p></o:p>“On one side by Gbetsi’s land<o:p></o:p>On another side by Tokonyo’s land<o:p></o:p>On other side by Anyedu’s land<o:p></o:p>And on the last side by Donyo’s land”.<o:p></o:p>What
we gather from their pleadings is that this land known as Kpeta lands was
founded by their great grandfather Tokoni. It is this land the defendant had
trespassed on and felled 100 palm trees. Earlier they had filed a suit against
the defendant at the Dzodze Magistrate Court but because of the failure of
their lawyers to attend court the case was adjourned sine die. It would appear
the parties have been disputing over this land for sometime now because
according to the 1st plaintiff the defendant had had occasions to
assaulted her three times on farm she cultivated on this land.<o:p></o:p>The
defendant on his part claimed the land in dispute which he mentioned as
Govieame lands with the following boundaries<o:p></o:p>“On one side by the property of Tokoni<o:p></o:p>On the another side by the property of Bedzi<o:p></o:p>