KOFI KYEI YAMOAH-PONKOH, ANDREWS OKYERE, AMOAKO BLANKSON AND ALL SHOP OWNERS OF ANOMANYE STORES COMPLEX FOR THEMSELVES AND ON BEHALF OF 29 OTHERS vs. ASOMDWE HOUSE CO. LTD. [2021]DLSC10686

KOFI KYEI YAMOAH-PONKOH, ANDREWS OKYERE, AMOAKO BLANKSON AND ALL SHOP OWNERS OF... [2021]DLSC10686

Date	2021-05-26
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/35/2020
Citation No.	[2021]DLSC10686

DOTSE JSC (PRESIDING)

PWAMANG JSC

DORDZIE (MRS.) JSC

PROF. MENSA-BONSU (MRS.) JSC

KULENDI JSC

OSEI-WUSU ANTWI FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS/RESPONDENTS

HANSON KWADWO KODUAH FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT/APPELLANT

[2021]DLSC10686
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >KOFI KYEI YAMOAH-PONKOH, ANDREWS
OKYERE, AMOAKO BLANKSON AND ALL SHOP OWNERS OF ANOMANYE STORES COMPLEX FOR
THEMSELVES AND ON BEHALF OF 29 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(PLANTIFFS/RESPONDENTS/ RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ASOMDWE HOUSE CO. LTD.<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT/APPELANT)<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;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/35/2020 &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;&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;&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 MAY, 2021<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>OSEI-WUSU ANTWI FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS/RESPONDENTS.<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;text-justify:inter-ideograph;line-height:normal;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">HANSON KWADWO KODUAH FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT/APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>DOTSE JSC (PRESIDING), PWAMANG JSC, DORDZIE (MRS.)
JSC, PROF. MENSA-BONSU (MRS.) JSC, KULENDI 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="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:
.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:150%;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;PROF. MENSA-BONSU (MRS.) JSC:-<o:p></o:p>This is an appeal arising out
of a case that has produced a multiplicity of suits. It arose out of a desire
by a group of traders to regularize their stay on land and to formalize the
acquisition of same, to create permanent structures for themselves.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>BACKGROUND AND FACTS<o:p></o:p>Sometime in 1998, a group of
traders and artisans plying their trade from kiosks they had erected on land
belonging to a School, St Joseph’s Catholic Junior High School, approached the
school and church authorities to regularize their stay. Following consultations
between Kumasi Metropolitan Authority and the school, the traders were granted
permission to remain on condition that they would build a bungalow to house the
Headmaster; improve the School’s playing field; and build&nbsp; &nbsp;a
Fence wall for the school. The group agreed, and proceeded to satisfy the
conditions. In order to build their shops, they decided to levy themselves fixed
sums of money to raise the needed funds. Those already in occupation or
“occupiers” paid Ghc700, and “outsiders” ie those not already trading on the
premises who came in to join upon invitation, were levied a slightly higher sum
of Ghc 900. Later the contributions were increased to Ghc900 and Ghc 1,200 for
the occupiers and “outsiders” respectively.&nbsp;
In 1999, the group began construction of shops with the funds so levied.
Lands Commission, Kumasi, stepped in after the chief of the area, petitioned
them that the land was Stool land; and that some unauthorised development was
taking place on it. Lands Commission stopped the development and consequently
the group put together a delegation of four persons to resolve the issue with
Lands Commission on behalf of the group. The members of the delegation were
three of their number, Daniel Kwame Bonsu; Takyi Brefo; Akwasi Amanfo; and the
fourth was the Assembly-member of the area, George Owusu-Afriyie, The
delegation was successful and the Encroachment Committee of the Lands
Commission, Kumasi gave permission for the development to continue, subject to
the payment of a penalty imposed upon them for initiating the development
without permission. The conditions were duly fulfilled, and construction
resumed.<o:p></o:p>Later, information filtered
through that the members of the delegation had clandestinely formed a company
called ‘Gabbat Co Ltd.’ (also spelt ‘Gabat Co Ltd’) (a name coined from an initial
each, of the names of the members of the delegation); and that it was in the
name of this company that the Lease had been taken from the Lands Commission. The
artisans and shopkeepers were outraged and organized themselves as the ‘
‘Artisans and Storekeepers Association of Anomangye Nkwanta’ (also spelt
‘Anomanye’), and protested this development. A series of actions, both legal
and political ensued. Frustrated at the inability to take on the leaders by
civil suit, some members of the Association reported the matter to the police
in April, 2001, and a prosecution was mounted on 26th July, 2001. &nbsp;It was in the course of this prosecution, Suit
No C.C 572/01, that the court, realising the true nature of the dispute
underlying the criminal complaint, adjourned for a settlement to take place. The
Settlement Report, produced in 2008, was as follows: <o:p></o:p>“SETTLEMENT COMMITTEE REPORT AS AT 22/08/08 ON THE ISSUES AGREED BY THE
PARTIES AT OUR SITTINGS TO RESOLVE THE IMPASS [sic] BETWEEN THEM ON THE
OWNERSHIP OF THE ANOMANYE NKWANTA STORES WHICH IS BEFORE THE COURT” <o:p></o:p>A. &nbsp;We, the parties here in the
case, have agreed that GABBAT CO LTD which holds the lease on the property in
this case be set aside and a new company formed to take over the ownership of
the ASSETS AND LIABILITIES of the Anomanye Nkwanta Stores Building Project,
which is in the custody of the above company.<o:p></o:p>