JEANETTE HAYFRON-BENJAMIN, PRIME INSURANCE COMPANY LTD vs. LANDS COMMISSION [2021]DLCA16199

Date	2021-04-01
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/203/2020
Citation No.	[2021]DLCA16199

JUSTICE LAWRENCE L. MENSAH JA (PRESIDING)

JUSTICE MERLEY A. WOOD (MRS) JA

JUSTICE ERIC BAAH JA

ALI GOMDAH ABDUL-SAMAD FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

ANDREWS DANIELS FOR APPLICANT/APPELLANT

[2021]DLCA16199
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >JEANETTE HAYFRON-BENJAMIN&nbsp;
<o:p></o:p>(APPLICANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>And<o:p></o:p>PRIME INSURANCE COMPANY LTD<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>LANDS COMMISSION&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, 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: 0in 0in 1pt;">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/203/2020&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 1ST
APRIL, 2021<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>ALI GOMDAH ABDUL-SAMAD FOR
PLAINTIFF/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: 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">ANDREWS DANIELS FOR
APPLICANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p>JUSTICE LAWRENCE L. MENSAH JA (PRESIDING),
JUSTICE MERLEY A. WOOD (MRS) JA, JUSTICE ERIC BAAH JA<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>&nbsp;LAWRENCE L. MENSAH JA:<o:p></o:p>This is an appeal by the Applicant/Appellant
who will be referred to as the Applicant against the ruling of the High Court,
Accra dated the 17th day of April 2018 in favour of the
Plaintiff/Respondent who will be referred as the Plaintiff. The Applicant was
the widow of a former Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice R.J.
Hayfron-Benjamin (Deceased).<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Facts:<o:p></o:p>The facts of this appeal are mainly from the
written submission of Applicant drawn as follows: On the 8th of
June, 2015 the Plaintiff Prime Insurance Company Ltd applied to the Defendants
Lands Commission for a parcel of Land. “in any prime business district
locations in Accra to put up its headquarters thereon” <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;After series of meetings with the Defendant,
the Defendant issued the allocation letter dated the 23rd of July
2015 to the Plaintiff. The Plaintiff was allocated a parcel of land at North
Ridge covering an area of 1.38 acres with a site plan attached. The plaintiff
by a letter dated 29th July, 2015 accepted the offer and paid
certain amounts indicated in the allocation letter aforesaid. On 18th
August 2015, the Plaintiff issued four cheques totaling the sum of GH¢1,224,455.00
in favour of the Defendant.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;By a letter dated 23rd September
2015, the Defendant confirmed the ratification by the Greater Accra Regional
Lands Commission at its 38th Regular Meeting held on 19th
August, 2015. The Plaintiff accepted the second offer dated 29th September
2015.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Further, by a letter dated 7th
December, 2015, the Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing which has a
structure on the land allocated to the Plaintiff, required the payment of
replacement bungalow which was assessed at GH¢500,000 which the Plaintiff had
earlier paid for its replacement as part of the amounts paid.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;By a letter dated 5th January
2016, the Plaintiff applied for an official Search to the Defendant Lands
Commission. The Search confirmed that the land had been allocated to the
Plaintiff company. Defendant which promised to issue a lease covering the land
to the Plaintiff, delayed for a long time, the Plaintiff issued a writ of
summons, against the Defendant Lands Commission at the Land Court, Accra
claiming the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>a)<span style="font-style: normal; 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;
An
order requiring the Defendant to issue a lease in respect of the land covered
by the allocation letter dated 23rd July 2015 to the Plaintiff, the
beneficial owner of the land <o:p></o:p>