[2023]DLHC16838 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:0cm"><a name="_Hlk152146143"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">MESHACK AYITTAH & 5 ORS. <o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:0cm"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">(PLAINTIFFS)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:0cm"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:0cm"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">THE ATTORNEY GENERAL & 2 ORS. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:0cm"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:0cm"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm 168.75pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua""> </span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">SUIT NO: E1/075/2022 DATE: 20<sup>TH</sup> JANUARY 2023<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">COUNSEL<o:p></o:p></span></b></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="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm; mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">MS. ABIGAIL AMPOFO HOLDING BRIEF FOR MR. JAMES MENSAH KULLEY FOR THE PLAINTIFFS<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm; mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">MR. NICHOLAS BARTELS FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm; mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">MR. BRIGHT AMU HOLDING BRIEF FOR MR. PRINCE KWAKU HODO FOR THE 2ND AND 3RD DEFENDANTS<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">CORAM <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm right 479.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE RITA AGYEMAN-BUDU (MRS). </span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: black; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:0cm;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">RULING</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><h1 style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></h1><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:7.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">This Ruling is in respect of Motion on Notice to set aside the Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim served on the 2nd<span style="position:relative;top:-3.5pt; mso-text-raise:3.5pt;letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>Defendant and to strike out the 3rd<span style="position:relative;top:-3.5pt;mso-text-raise:3.5pt; letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>Defendant<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>as a party.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:7.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">This was supported by an Affidavit stating among others this Court’s jurisdiction<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>has been wrongly invoked by the Plaintiff/Respondent against 2nd<span style="position:relative;top:-3.5pt; mso-text-raise:3.5pt;letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>Defendant/Applicant in that Plaintiff/Respondent has failed to or comply with the statutory obligation and condition precedent before issuing the Writ and Statement of Claim which implies that the Writ and Statement of Claim issued at the Registry<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>of this Court at the behest of Plaintiff/Respondent against the 2nd<span style="position:relative;top:-3.5pt; mso-text-raise:3.5pt;letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>Defendant/Applicant is in breach of the Local Governance Act 2016 (Act 936) hence the issuance of the service of the Writ and Statement of Claim on 2nd<span style="position:relative; top:-3.5pt;mso-text-raise:3.5pt;letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>Defendant/Applicant is void.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:7.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">They further aver that the 3rd<span style="position:relative;top:-3.5pt;mso-text-raise:3.5pt; letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>Defendant/Applicant is not a proper person to sue<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>since he is acting position and the Chieftaincy Act 2008 (Act 759) describes the<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>proper person to sue in an action against a body such as the Ningo Traditional <span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">Council.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:7.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">For this reason, the 3rd<span style="position:relative;top:-3.5pt;mso-text-raise:3.5pt; letter-spacing:1.65pt"> </span>Defendant/Applicant ought to be struck out as a party to this <span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">suit.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:7.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent: 3.0pt;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">In opposing this Application, Plaintiffs/Respondents aver that the action brought against the Office of the Acting President is proper and in conformity with the <b>Chieftaincy Act 2008 (Act 759).<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><b><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:7.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span style=