THE REPUBLIC vs. NANA KOFI AMOO III EX-PARTE: NANA EWIA {HEAD OF THE EZOHILE FAMILY} & 19 ORS [2024]DLHC17406

THE REPUBLIC vs. NANA KOFI AMOO III EX-PARTE: NANA EWIA {HEAD OF THE EZOHILE FAM... [2024]DLHC17406

Date	2024-02-20
Suit No.	SUIT NO: E9/28/23
Citation No.	[2024]DLHC17406

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE

YAW ANOKYE FRIMPONG ESQ

FELIX ASSAN ESQ

JOHN MERCER ESQ

[2024]DLHC17406
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5pt;
margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none">THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5pt;
margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.5pt;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:0in;margin-right:.5pt;
margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none">NANA KOFI AMOO III<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5pt;
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line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none">(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5pt;
margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none">EX-PARTE: NANA EWIA {HEAD OF THE EZOHILE FAMILY}
&amp; 19 ORS<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5pt;
margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none">(APPLICANTS)<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.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:0in;margin-right:.5pt;
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none">&nbsp;<div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; margin-left: 4.5pt; margin-right: 0.5pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none;border:none;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a>SUIT NO: E9/28/23&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: 20TH FEBRUARY,
2024<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 0in; margin-left: 4.5pt; margin-right: 0.5pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;text-autospace:none;
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padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>This is an Originating Motion on Notice filed
on 14th April, 2023 for the enforcement of fundamental human rights.
Applicants herein are praying the court for an order to compel the Respondent
to permit them to practice their cultural rights under the Ghana Constitution
1992 i.e. to exercise their right to bury their dead at the public cemetery at
Egyambra. <o:p></o:p>Per the motion paper, the action of the
applicant is premised on Article 33 (1) of the Constitution, 1992; and Order 67
of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules, 2004 (C.I. 47).<o:p></o:p>Article 33 (1) provides: <o:p></o:p>"Where
a person alleges that a provision of this constitution on the fundamental human
rights and freedoms has been, or is being or is likely to be contravened in
relation to him, then, without prejudice to any other action that is lawfully
available, that person may apply to the High Court for redress.” <o:p></o:p>Order 67 Rule 1 of C.I. 47
also provides:<o:p></o:p>“A
person who seeks redress in respect of the enforcement of any fundamental human
right in relation to the person under article 33 (1) of the Constitution shall
submit an application to the High Court."<o:p></o:p>The application is supported
by an affidavit and statement of case. Applicants say that they are the heads
of the families or clans that encompass over 95% of the total population of
Egyambra in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region. They acknowledge
that the Respondent is the gazetted chief of Egyambra. It is their case that
their ancestors arrived in Egyambra over three centuries ago and since then
they have exercised their culture and traditions including the burial of their
departed relatives without hitch or hindrance from any one. Applicants aver
that they do not have a precedent in their long tradition of having to pay what
is referred to as “nkae nsa” or “notification drink” to the Respondent or his
family before burying the dead. Applicants are saying that Respondent’s
insistence on collecting notification drinks from them before they could bury
their dead is an affront to the exercise of their cultural rights.<o:p></o:p>