THEOPHILUS TEIKO TAGOE, THE NUNGUA STOOL vs. DR. PREMPEH, BENJAMIN AMARTEY MENSAH [2023]DLSC15111

THEOPHILUS TEIKO TAGOE, THE NUNGUA STOOL vs. DR. PREMPEH, BENJAMIN AMARTEY MENSA... [2023]DLSC15111

Date	2023-04-26
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/29/2022
Citation No.	[2023]DLSC15111

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC (PRESIDING)

OWUSU (MS.) JSC.

LOVELACE-JOHNSON (MS.) JSC.

PROF. MENSA-BONSU (MRS.) JSC.

ASIEDU JSC

O. K. OSAFO-BUABENG ESQ. FOR PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS/ RESPONDENTS

ERNEST KUSI ESQ. FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS/ APPELLANTS

[2023]DLSC15111
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THEOPHILUS TEIKO TAGOE,
THE NUNGUA STOOL<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>DR. PREMPEH, BENJAMIN
AMARTEY MENSAH<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>&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: 0in 0in 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">CIVIL APPEAL NO.
J4/29/2022&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;&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
DATE: 26TH APRIL 2023<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<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: 0in 0in 1pt;">

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>BAFFOE-BONNIE
JSC (PRESIDING), OWUSU (MS.) JSC., LOVELACE-JOHNSON (MS.) JSC., PROF.
MENSA-BONSU (MRS.) JSC., ASIEDU JSC<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 0in;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;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:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>ASIEDU JSC:-<o:p></o:p>(1).
INTRODUCTION:<o:p></o:p>My lords, there are basically two major issues to
be determined in this appeal and, these are: whether the land in dispute in
this matter falls in the lands generally referred to as the Adjiringano lands
or whether it forms part of the lands generally known as Tesa lands. The
Defendants/Appellants/Appellants (hereafter referred to as the Defendants)
claim that the land in dispute is part of Tesa lands whiles the
Plaintiffs/Respondents/Respondents (subsequently to be known as the Plaintiffs)
also claim that the disputed land is part of Adjiringano lands. The second
issue is whether or not the witness for the 2nd Defendant herein had
the right to testify as a witness in the matter before the trial High Court.<o:p></o:p>(2).
FACTS:<o:p></o:p>The 1st Defendant, Doctor Prempeh
claims that he acquired the land in 1993 or thereabout for the purpose of
building a clinic known as Adehye Clinic. He was given an indenture in 1995.
According to him, whiles on the land, he observed an encroachment by the 1st
Plaintiff who broke a wall which he had erected on the land. The 1st
Defendant initially acquired the land from the Ashong Mlitse family but was
subsequently directed to the Numo Kofi Anum family, represented by the 2nd
Defendant, from whom he re-acquired the same parcel of land between 2003 and
2004. According to the 1st Defendant, the land belongs to the Numo
Kofi Anum family of Tesa and Teshie. The 1st Plaintiff says that he
acquired the land in question from the Nungua stool, particularly from the
Gborbu Wulomo in about 2007 and immediately went into possession. 1st
Plaintiff says that he also built a wall around his land, but the 1st
Defendant broke down the wall and entered his 1st Plaintiff’s land.
The 1st Plaintiff therefore instituted an action at the High Court,
Accra for a declaration of title to the land, recovery of possession, damages
for trespass and perpetual injunction against the 1st Defendant.
Later, the 2nd Plaintiff, the Nungua stool, the grantor of the land
joined the suit whiles the 2nd Defendant who granted the land to the
1st Defendant also joined the suit, both to protect their respective
titles to or interests in the land. The 2nd Plaintiff claims a declaration of
title to the land, recovery of possession, perpetual injunction, damages for
trespass and an order for the cancellation of the Defendant’s documents
registered with the Lands Commission. The 2nd Defendant also
counterclaimed for a declaration of title to the whole of Tesa lands as well as
perpetual injunction, general damages for trespass and costs. <o:p></o:p>(3).
DECISION OF THE HIGH COURT:<o:p></o:p>After the close of the case at the High Court, the
learned judge found that the land in question falls within the lands known as
Adjiringano lands. The Judge also found that Adjiringano had been declared, in
the case of Empire Builders vs. Topkings, to be owned by the Nungua stool
through settlement. The judge therefore entered judgment in favour of the
Plaintiffs against the Defendants and consequently dismissed the 2nd
Defendants’ counterclaim.<o:p></o:p>(4).
DECISION OF THE COURT OF APPEAL:<o:p></o:p>Aggrieved by the judgment of the trial High Court,
the Defendants appealed to the Court of Appeal which, after the hearing
thereof, affirmed the judgment of the trial High Court and dismissed the
appeal. The Defendants/Appellants have now appealed to this Court.<o:p></o:p>(5).
APPEAL:<o:p></o:p>Per their Notice of Appeal filed on the 29th
day of August 2019, the Defendants/Appellants pray that “the entire judgment of
the Court of Appeal dated 6th day of June, 2019 be set aside and for
judgment to be entered for the Defendants/Appellants/Appellants. The ground for
the relief sought by </main>