OPANIN OSEI AKWASI vs. KWADWO DWEMOH [2023]DLSC16142

Date	2023-03-01
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/37/2022
Citation No.	[2023]DLSC16142

OWUSU (MS.) JSC (PRESIDING)

LOVELACE-JOHNSON (MS.) JSC

AMADU JSC

TORKORNOO (MRS.) JSC

KULENDI JSC

KWAME ASIEDU-BASOAH ESQ. FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT/ APPELLANT.

PATRICK ASANTE NNURO ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT/ RESPONDENT.

[2023]DLSC16142
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >OPANIN
OSEI AKWASI <o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/
APPELLANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>KWADWO
DWEMOH <o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT)
<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME 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;">

&nbsp; CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/37/2022&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;DATE:
1ST MARCH 2023<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL <o:p></o:p>KWAME
ASIEDU-BASOAH ESQ. FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT/<o:p></o:p>APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>PATRICK
ASANTE NNURO ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT/<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;">

RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>OWUSU (MS.) JSC (PRESIDING),
LOVELACE-JOHNSON (MS.) JSC, TORKORNOO (MRS.) JSC, AMADU JSC, KULENDI JSC &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <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;">

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

</div>&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; <o:p></o:p>KULENDI
JSC<o:p></o:p>INTRODUCTION <o:p></o:p>On Wednesday the 1st of March, 2023, this Court by
a unanimous decision upheld the interlocutory appeal of the
Defendant/Appellant/Appellant (hereinafter called “the Appellant”) and reserved
our reasons which are as follows:<o:p></o:p>The said interlocutory appeal is against the
concurrent decision of the Court of Appeal dated 27th May, 2021
whereby the Court of Appeal affirmed the ruling of the High Court, Kumasi dated
5th March, 2018.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;BACKGROUND:<o:p></o:p>The ruling of the High Court, Kumasi of 5th
March, 2018, upheld an objection to the admissibility of the evidence of the
Appellant’s witness, DW1, on the ground that the testimony was hearsay and
therefore inadmissible. The context of the testimony and objection is that the
Plaintiff/Respondent/Respondent (hereinafter called the Respondent) instituted
an action against the Appellant for and on behalf of his family seeking: a
declaration that the land in dispute is family property which cannot be sold or
gifted without the consent and authority of Respondent and his family members;
and an order of perpetual injunction against the Appellant. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Appellant entered appearance to the Writ of
Summons and filed a Statement of Defence and a Counterclaim to the Respondent’s
claims. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;<a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a>The case
proceeded on its normal course resulting in the commencement of a trial on 28th
November, 2017. After the Respondent closed his case, the Appellant opened his
case on 5th March, 2018 and called his first witness, DW1 out of
turn. It is the testimony of DW1 which provoked an objection by the Respondent
that resulted in the said ruling, the subject matter of this appeal. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;For the purposes of an in-depth analysis, we
hereby reproduce the entire testimony of DW1, up to the point of the objection.
This can be found at page 135 of the Record of Appeal as follows:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;"My
full name is Haruna Musa. I live at James Kumah near Mpasaso No. 2. I live in
the disputed farm. My father's name is Malam Musah a.k.a. Agya Musah. I know
one Agya Osei Kwasi. My father also knows this Agya Osei Kwasi. My father has
become very old and cannot do anything on his own. I know how my father got to
know Opanin Osei Kwasi. My father used to trade in cola nuts and through this
trade he went to stay with Opanin Osei Kwasi a</main>