MUSAH MOHAMMED, AUGUSTINE BABA NAAB vs. REV. EBENEZER ADOM BARNOR & MRS ANNE ADOM BARNOR & 8 ORS [2023]DLHC17077

MUSAH MOHAMMED, AUGUSTINE BABA NAAB vs. REV. EBENEZER ADOM BARNOR & MRS ANNE ADO... [2023]DLHC17077

Date	2023-07-31
Suit No.	SUIT NO: E1/137/2020
Citation No.	[2023]DLHC17077

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE

JOSEPH EVANS ABEKAH ESQ

EMMANUEL TSIBUAH ESQ

[2023]DLHC17077
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt;
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line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none">MUSAH MOHAMMED, AUGUSTINE BABA NAAB<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt;
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line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none">(PLAINTIFFS/JC/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt;
margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:-7.1pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none">vs.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt;
margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:-7.1pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none">REV. EBENEZER ADOM BARNOR &amp; MRS ANNE ADOM
BARNOR &amp; 8 ORS<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt;
margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:-7.1pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none">(DEFENDANTS/JD/APPLICANTS)<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt;
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line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none">[HIGH
COURT, SEKONDI]<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:-2.5pt;
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</div>COUNSEL&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>JOSEPH EVANS ABEKAH ESQ FOR PLAINTIFFS/JUDGEMENT/CREDITOR/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; margin-left: -7.1pt; margin-right: 0cm;">

EMMANUEL TSIBUAH ESQ FOR 2ND AND 7TH DEFENDANTS/JUDGEMENT/DEDTOR/APPLICANTS<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE DR. RICHMOND
OSEI-HWERE<o:p></o: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; margin-left: -7.1pt; margin-right: -2.5pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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</div>In this motion on notice, the 2nd and 7th
Defendants/Judgment Debtors/Applicants (hereinafter called the Applicants) are
praying for an Order to set aside the judgment of this court dated 22nd
February, 2021 on grounds of the Plaintiffs’/Judgment Creditors’/Respondents’
(hereinafter called the Respondents) misrepresentation and want of capacity.
Applicants are also praying for any further order of the court as it may deem
fit.<o:p></o:p>The crux of the Applicants’ claim as gleaned from the
Affidavit in support of the Application is that by two separate Deeds of
Assignment dated 1st August, 2008 and 5th May, 2008
respectively duly executed in their favour by the Upper East Community,
respective plots were granted to them. Applicants say they subsequently had
their Deeds of Assignment duly registered at the Lands Commission as Document
No. WR. 2952/08 and WR 944/10, and stamped as LVB/WR 2875/08/09 and LVB/WR 1275/10
respectively. That they subsequently took possession of the respective plots
and enjoyed quiet possession through their caretakers. That since they were not
resident in Takoradi, they relied on one Matilda Asina to take care of things
for. However, they were informed one day by the said Matilda Asina that upon
her visit to Takoradi to check on the plots she had been informed about a
judgment procured against them by the Respondents without any recourse
whatsoever to them. That, they immediately consulted their lawyer who took
appropriate steps to have same set aside since the judgment was procured
against them by fraud and misrepresentations. It is Applicants’ case that as
assignors, Respondents had no capacity to institute the action in the first
place. It is also their case that they were not served with any re-entry notice
prior to the action and that they were not notified of the court processes as
well.<o:p></o:p>Respondents on the other hand are vehemently opposed to
this application on the ground that the judgment delivered herein is a final
judgment and cannot be set aside. That the Applicants’ right, if any, lies on
appeal and not by the instant application.<o:p></o:p>Submissions by Counsel<o:p></o:p>Counsel for Applicants relied on the cases of INTERPLAST
LIMITED V. BONSU [1979] GLR 285 and MENSAH v. GHANA COMMERCIAL BANK AND ANOTHER
[1958] 3 WALR 123 and submitted that an Assignor has no right in law or equity
to mount an action to re-enter and purport to repossess a plot or parcel of
land he has assigned to another person. Thus, Respondents had no capacity to
mount the action that led to the judgment against her.<o:p></o:p>Counsel also argued that the Applicants and all the other
defendants in the suit were never served and indeed did not receive any
re-entry notice contrary to the assertions of the Respondents. Therefore,
Respondents’ evidence before the court that they had done so was deliberately
put before this Honourable Court to avoid their action being dismissed for
falling short of the required standard. Counsel cited authorities relating to
re-entry and argued that the judgment was obtained by misrepresentation.<o:p></o:p>