DUNCAN ADZA AND EBENEZER AKUBIA vs. NATIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS AND TOGBE KEH XII [2021]DLCA16196

Date	2021-02-25
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO: H1/07/2021
Citation No.	[2021]DLCA16196

ANGELINA M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS.) J A (PRESIDING)

ALEX B. POKU-ACHEAMPONG J A

SAMUEL K. A. ASIEDU J A

ARCHIE DANSO FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT (ABSENT)

KWAME BOAFO FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT. (ARRIVED AFTER DELIVERY OF THE JUDGMENT)

[2021]DLCA16196
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DUNCAN ADZA AND EBENEZER AKUBIA<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>NATIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS AND TOGBE KEH XII<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, 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: 0in 0in 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">CIVIL APPEAL NO: H1/07/2021&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 25TH FEBRUARY, 2021<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>ARCHIE DANSO FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT
(ABSENT)<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: 0in 0in 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">KWAME BOAFO FOR THE
DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT. (ARRIVED AFTER DELIVERY OF THE JUDGMENT)<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p>ANGELINA
M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS.) J A (PRESIDING), ALEX B. POKU-ACHEAMPONG J A, SAMUEL K.
A. ASIEDU 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 0in;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>DOMAKYAAREH
(MRS.), JA:<o:p></o:p>[1]
This appeal emanates from the judgment
of the High Court, Kumasi dated 15th July, 2019. The Plaintiffs/Appellants are
the Head of the Adza Family of Gbi Wegbe, and the Stool Father of the Abaka
Stool of Gbi Wegbe, both of Hohoe respectively. They will herein after be
called the Appellants. The 1st Defendant/Respondent is the National
Body of Chiefs established by the Chieftaincy Act, 2008, (Act 759). The 2nd
Defendant/Respondent who was joined to the suit following an Application for
Joinder is the Divisional Chief of Gbi Wegbe and the Left Wing Chief (Miamefia)
of the Gbi Traditional Area. The Defendants/Respondents will hereinafter be
referred to as the Respondents.<o:p></o:p>[2]
The Appellants issued their Writ of
Summons on 16/2/2018 and per an Amended Writ of Summons issued on 28/5/2018,
they claimed the following reliefs against the Respondents, to wit:<o:p></o:p>a.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A
declaration that the 1st Defendant, having gazetted the Abaka Stool of Gbi Wegbe
as a Divisional Stool within the Gbi Traditional Area, cannot gazette the 2nd
Defendant’s stool as a divisional stool and the said 2nd Defendant
as a Divisional Chief within the same Traditional Area.<o:p></o:p>b.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
An
order directed at the 1st Defendant to immediately expunge the gazette of 2nd
Defendant as a Divisional Chief within the Gbi Traditional Area from the
National Register of Chiefs.<o:p></o:p>c.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Any
further or other orders as to this Court may appear just.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;d.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Costs
including lawyers’ fees.<o:p></o:p>[3] According to the Amended Statement of Claim, which
accompanied the Amended Writ of Summons, the Appellants averred that the Adza
family of Gbi Wegbe own and are the custodians of the Abaka Stool of which the
2nd Appellant is the present Stool father. The Appellants aver that
from time immemorial, the Abak</main>