FRANCIS OSEI BONSU AND MRS. DORIS OSEI BONSU vs. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, CALVARY METHODIST CHURCH & 5 ORS [2023]DLHC16353

FRANCIS OSEI BONSU AND MRS. DORIS OSEI BONSU vs. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, CALVARY... [2023]DLHC16353

Date	2023-07-21
Suit No.	SUIT NO. FAL/432/13
Citation No.	[2023]DLHC16353

HIS LORDSHIP K. A. GYIMAH

DR. JOHN E. BAIDEN FOR PLAINTIFFS.

EYRAM AKYEA ANSAH WITH DAME AWOONOR-WILLIAMS FOR KWAME AMANKWAH-TWUM FOR DEFENDANTS.

[2023]DLHC16353
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >FRANCIS OSEI BONSU AND
MRS. DORIS OSEI BONSU&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, CALVARY METHODIST CHURCH &amp; 5 ORS<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
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;">

SUIT NO. FAL/432/13&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:
21ST JULY 2023<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>DR.
JOHN E. BAIDEN FOR PLAINTIFFS.<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;">

</div>CORAM<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;">

</div>&nbsp;<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;">

JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;&nbsp;Plaintiffs’
case<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The plaintiffs are husband and wife and
they claim to be the owners of the land in dispute which they acquired from the
Nungua Stool, the allodial owners of the land in dispute, acting through the
Gborbu Wulomo and Nii Bortrabi Obroni II in the year 1999. They assert that the
total size of the land they acquired was 1.53 acres and after the acquisition,
they constructed their dwelling house on a portion of the land where they live
anytime they are in Ghana as they are ordinarily resident in the United States
of America. They further assert that they cleared the remaining portion of the
land, put up a structure on it for the occupation of their caretaker and
constructed a fence wall around the land. They then lodged their documents with
the Lands Commission for registration.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The plaintiffs assert that sometime in
December 2012, they noticed the activities of some strangers on the land and
upon enquiries made by the 1st plaintiff, the 1st
defendant claimed ownership of the land. Furthermore, the 2nd
defendant had directed the 3rd, 4th and 5th
defendants to carry on development projects on a portion of the land and the 6th
defendant and members of his church were holding church services on a portion
of the land. The plaintiffs assert that the 2nd defendant further
directed the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants to
demolish the wall the plaintiffs had built around the land, a wall which was
valued at Twelve Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH₵12,000.00). The plaintiffs assert that
they made a report to the police but this did not deter the defendants from
continuing with their acts of trespass as the 1st defendant
continued to insist that it had a valid title over the land in dispute.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It is the case of the plaintiffs that
sometime around February 2013, a gang of four people including the 3rd,
4th and 5th defendants who were wielding cutlasses, clubs
and other dangerous weapons, viciously attacked the 1st plaintiff
and caused him serious bodily injuries. He reported the attack to the East
Legon Police and they gave him a medical form to visit the hospital for
treatment which he did. It is the plaintiffs’ case that they are the rightful
lessees of the land in dispute but until the court intervenes, the defendants
will continue to lay claim to the land hence the present action claiming the
reliefs listed below:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:54.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;
text-indent:-36.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">i.<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-variant-position: 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A declaration of title to all that
piece or parcel of land situate, lying and being at East Legon (Adjiringano) –
New Nungua, Accra in the Greater Accra Region of the Republic of Ghana and
containing an approximate area of 1.53 acres and bounded on the North by a
proposed road measuring 80 feet more or less and bounded on the East by
lessor’s land measuring 85 feet, 112 feet and 221 feet (making a total distance
of 418 feet more or less) and bounded on the South by lessor’s land measuring
222 feet more or less and bounded on the West by proposed road measuring 305
feet more or less.<o:p></o:p>