OSAHENE KATEKYI BUSUMAKURA III vs. THE AHANTA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL – BUSUA AND OTUMFUO BAIDOO BONSOE XV [2022]DLHC11646

OSAHENE KATEKYI BUSUMAKURA III vs. THE AHANTA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL – BUSUA AND O... [2022]DLHC11646

Date	2022-03-31
Suit No.	SUIT: NO. E12/3/22
Citation No.	[2022]DLHC11646

HIS LORDSHIP DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE J.

ACKAH HIEMANS ESQ. FOR MUJEEB RAHMAH AHMED ESQ. FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

ISRAEL ACKAH ESQ. WITH KATE ABORHEY FOR THE DEFENDANTS/APPLICANTS

[2022]DLHC11646
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >OSAHENE
KATEKYI BUSUMAKURA III<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE AHANTA
TRADITIONAL COUNCIL – BUSUA AND OTUMFUO BAIDOO BONSOE XV<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/APPLICANTS)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT,
SEKONDI]<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" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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">SUIT:
NO. E12/3/22&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:
31ST MARCH 2022<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>ACKAH HIEMANS ESQ.
FOR MUJEEB RAHMAH AHMED ESQ. 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: 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">ISRAEL
ACKAH ESQ. WITH KATE ABORHEY FOR THE DEFENDANTS/APPLICANTS<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP DR.
RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE J.<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">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;In
this application, the Defendants/Applicants herein are seeking three (3)
restraining orders. These are:<o:p></o:p>i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order restraining the Plaintiff/Respondent from holding himself out as the
Divisional Chief of Takoradi until the determination of the issues of
illegality (forgery) and fraudulent representations on Plaintiff’s CD Form are
determined;<o:p></o:p>ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order restraining the Plaintiff and the National House of Chiefs and or any
Committee of the National House of Chiefs from conducting any new Enquiry on
Plaintiff’s claim for the restoration of Plaintiff’s Stool to a Paramount Stool
due to the fact that the Western Region House of Chiefs, legitimate organ of
the National House of Chiefs has completed all investigations and made its
findings in respect of all Plaintiff’s claims.<o:p></o:p>iii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order restraining the Lands Commission, Administrator of Stool Lands
Secretariat and all agencies of the government of Ghana not to pay out any
financial benefits and/or royalties due the Takoradi Stool to Plaintiff by
virtue of Plaintiff’s fraudulent registration as the Divisional Chief of
Takoradi.<o:p></o:p>The
background facts leading to this application are that on 20th
September, 2021 the Plaintiff/Respondent issued a writ against the
Defendants/Applicants claiming the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
declaration that the Defendants multipurpose office complex or however so
called cannot be sited at Takoradi.<o:p></o:p>b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order of the Honourable Court directed at the Defendants not to situate any
office complex for the purpose of chieftaincy administration, customary land
secretariat etc. in Takoradi. <o:p></o:p>c.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Perpetual
injunction restraining the Defendants, their agents, members, privies and all
others claiming through them from making preparations towards and or siting of
an office complex in Takoradi.<o:p></o:p>d.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Cost<o:p></o:p>The
1st and 2nd Defendants/Applicants entered appearance on 7th October,
2021 and subsequently filed a statement of Defence and Counterclaim. In their
counterclaim, they questioned the legitimacy of the Plaintiff’s/Respondent’s
status as the Chief of Takoradi. They among other allegations say that all the
official chieftaincy declaration information submitted to the 1st
Defendant/Applicant are in respect of New Takoradi and not Takoradi. That the
title Divisional Chief of Takoradi was procured by fraud and/or mistake.<o:p></o:p>In
this application, the gravamen of the Applicants’ case is that though the
Respondent was installed as Divisional Chief of New Takoradi, he has been
misrepresenting himself as the Divisional Chief of Takoradi. Applicants added
that whereas the Chieftaincy Declaration Forms submitted through the Western
Region House of Chiefs to the National Register of Chiefs for the registration
of the Respondent captured the Respondent as Divisional Chief of New Takoradi,
the National Register of Chiefs mistakenly registered the Respondent as
Divisional Chief of Takoradi. According to the Applicants, based on this
mistake the Respondent has been fraudulently carrying himself as Divisional
Chief of Takoradi, and is thus collecting financial benefits and/or royalties
that were meant for the Takoradi Stool from state agencies such as the Lands
Commission.&nbsp; In view of the above, Applicants
have filed the instant application to restrain the Respondent from carrying
himself out as Divisional Chief of Takoradi and also from receiving financial
benefits and/or royalties due the Takoradi Stool.<o:p></o:p>Respondent
is opposed to the application. It is the case of the Respondent that he is the
Divisional Chief of Takoradi having been validly nominated, elected/selected
and installed in the year 2003. Respondent states that he was subsequently
introduced to the gene</main>