RUKAYATU USUMANU vs. ZONGO NAA KUN-GARI AND 16 OTHERS [2021]DLSC10171

Date	2021-03-31
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/23/2020
Citation No.	[2021]DLSC10171

APPAU JSC (PRESIDING)

PWAMANG JSC

DORDZIE (MRS.) JSC

LOVELACE-JOHNSON (MS.) JSC

AMADU JSC

MOHAMMED OSMAN FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENT/APPELLANTS.

COL. MAHAMA IDDRISU FOR THE DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS/RESPONDENTS.

[2021]DLSC10171
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >RUKAYATU USUMANU<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ZONGO NAA KUN-GARI AND 16 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT, 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: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:
.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;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">CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/23/2020&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 31ST MARCH, 2021<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MOHAMMED OSMAN
FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENT/APPELLANTS.<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;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">COL.
MAHAMA IDDRISU FOR THE DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS/RESPONDENTS.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<o:p></o:p>APPAU JSC (PRESIDING), PWAMANG JSC, DORDZIE (MRS.) JSC,
LOVELACE-JOHNSON (MS.) JSC, AMADU JSC <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%;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;DORDZIE (MRS.) JSC:-<o:p></o:p>The subject matter of litigation which had culminated
in this appeal is a house described as number E227/16 situate at Mamobi, Accra.
(This was the numbering of the house at the time of commencement of the
action). The property was originally owned by Abdulai Dagarti (deceased), he
died on 23rd September 1981. &nbsp;The disputed property is being occupied by
tenants who are the 2nd to 17th defendants/appellants/
respondents. There is no dispute that until the death of Abdulai Dagarti the
tenants were attoning tenancy to him.<o:p></o:p>The deceased Abdulai Dagarti had a sister, Hajia
Hawawu who survived him. It is alleged Dagarti gifted this property to the
surviving sister Hawawu. A sales transaction of the property was alleged to
have gone on between Hawawu and the plaintiff/ respondent /appellant (hereafter
I will refer to the parties as appellant and respondents). The appellant made
attempts to recover possession of the property after the alleged sale. This attempt
was resisted by the 1st respondent who is said to be the head of
family of the deceased Abdulai Dagarti.<o:p></o:p>The appellant therefore instituted an action in
the Circuit Court, Accra in November 2006 praying for the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Declaration of
title to House N0. E227/16 Mamobi, Accra.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Recovery of
possession of the said house and &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Recovery of all
arrears of rent and utilities. <o:p></o:p>The first respondent resisted the appellant’s
claims and maintained that the house was not sold, the appellant’s claim of
ownership of the property is fraudulent the property remains the property of
the family of the deceased Abudulai Dagarti who died intestate.<o:p></o:p>The trial Circuit Court relied on a statutory
declaration said to have been made by the deceased Abdulai Dagarti gifting the
property to Hawawu to hold that Hawawu validly acquired the property and could
sell same. The court therefore gave judgment to the appellant and granted her
reliefs. The respondents dissatisfied, appealed to the Court of Appeal. <o:p></o:p>The Court of Appeal found that the main issue
between the parties was the question of validity of the sale of House N0.
E227/16 to the appellant. It found the sale was not valid, therefore declared
the said sale null and void and set aside the judgment of the trial Circuit
Court.<o:p></o:p>The appellant has appealed to the Supreme Court
originally on the sole ground that the judgment is against the weight of evidence.
Further grounds of appeal were f</main>