THE REPUBLIC vs. FRANK ANDOH & 2 ORS EX-PARTE: MADAM ABA ESSOUN & 2 ORS [2023]DLHC17090

Date	2023-07-03
Suit No.	SUIT NO. E9/43/22
Citation No.	[2023]DLHC17090

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE

BENEDICTA GYAMFUAH KESSE

STEPHEN KWESI KESSE ESQ

ENOCH ALLA-MENSAH ESQ

EMMANUEL ARTHUR ESQ

[2023]DLHC17090
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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">THE REPUBLIC<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">FRANK ANDOH &amp; 2 ORS<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">(RESPONDENTS)<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">EX-PARTE: MADAM ABA ESSOUN &amp; 2 ORS<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">(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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>BENEDICTA
GYAMFUAH KESSE FOR STEPHEN KWESI KESSE ESQ FOR APPLICATION<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

ENOCH ALLA-MENSAH ESQ FOR EMMANUEL ARTHUR ESQ
FOR RESPONDENTS<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: 0cm; margin-right: -2.5pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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</div>In this application, the
Applicants herein are praying the court for an order committing the Respondents
for contempt of court for their alleged deliberate conduct in alienating
portions of the stool and or family lands of Sofokrom, the subject matter of litigation
at the Judicial Committee of the Sekondi Traditional Council.<o:p></o:p>The background facts leading
to this application are that on 21/08/2019 Respondents issued a writ of summons
at the Judicial Committee of the Sekondi Traditional Council praying for the
following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A Declaration that the 1st Plaintiff is the properly elected
Regent of the Royal Bretou Stool Family of Sofokrom.<o:p></o:p>b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A further declaration that the Plaintiffs are the proper
persons to organize and conduct the affairs of the Royal Stool Family.<o:p></o:p>c.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A further declaration that the Defendants and those claiming
through them are not eligible to mount the Royal Stool of Sofokrom.<o:p></o:p>d.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants
from interfering with the management of the affairs of the Royal Stool Family
by the Plaintiffs.<o:p></o:p>Upon service of the said
writ on Applicants, they filed a statement of defence and counterclaimed as follows:<o:p></o:p>a.<span style="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;
A declaration that any purported nomination
and election of the 1st Plaintiff for enstoolment as the Chief of Sofokrom is
null and void.<o:p></o:p>