REV. DR. SETH MENSAH ABLORH vs. MRS. THEODORA ALBERTA QUARTEY [2021]DLCA10810

Date	2021-06-10
Suit No.	SUIT NO: H1/53/2021
Citation No.	[2021]DLCA10810

SOWAH J.A. (PRESIDING)

OPPONG J.A.

MENSAH-HOMIAH J.A.

EMMANUEL OPARE ESQ. FOR APPELLANT

EZIUCHE NWOSU ESQ. FOR RESPONDENT

[2021]DLCA10810
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="_Hlk72320968"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
color:#00B0F0;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">REV. DR. SETH MENSAH ABLORH<o:p></o:p></a>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:#00B0F0;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">vs.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
color:#00B0F0;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">MRS. THEODORA ALBERTA QUARTEY<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, KOFORIDUA]<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;">

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>EMMANUEL OPARE ESQ. FOR APPELLANT<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;">

EZIUCHE NWOSU ESQ. FOR RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">SOWAH J.A.
(PRESIDING), OPPONG J.A., MENSAH-HOMIAH 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;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;SOWAH, (J.A):<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:
12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">This is an interlocutory appeal in respect of a
Ruling by the trial judge refusing the defendant/appellants application to call
an expert witness. The Ruling was delivered on 30th July 2015 and is
at page 110 of the Record of Appeal.<o:p></o:p>Background Facts<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">The writ in the suit was
issued on 29th October 2009 and concerns a dispute about the
ownership of a parcel of land. Each of the parties testified and called four
witnesses. On 24th June 2015, the defendant/appellant closed her
case. The court then appointed an expert on the same day with the consent of
the parties. Both parties duly filed Survey instructions. The court-appointed
surveyor filed his report on 27th July 2015, gave evidence and was
cross-examined by counsel for both parties. After cross-examination by the
appellant on 30th July 2015, counsel for defendant immediately moved
the Court under Section 112 of the Evidence Act and its inherent
jurisdiction seeking leave to call
an expert witness of her own to address
pertinent issues not addressed by the court expert. The learned trial judge was
however of the view that there was no merit in the application and refused
same. <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">The Notice of Appeal which
was filed on 12th August 2015 has the following GROUNDS OF
APPEAL:<o:p></o:p><ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="a">
 <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;
 text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:
 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
 Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The
 learned trial Judge erred in law when he held that defendant/appellant’s
 application to call expert witness is refused<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;
 text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:
 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
 Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The
 failure to grant defendant’s request is highly prejudicial to defendant’s
 case and unjust.<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;
 text-align:justify;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:
 12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
 Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The
 ruling is against the weight of evidence.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>&nbsp;Particulars Of The Error Of Law:<o:p></o:p><ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="i">
 <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;
 text-align:justi</main>