GEORGINA AMOAKO v. SUSANA KUMI
2015
COURT OF APPEAL
GHANA
CORAM
- OFOE, J.A. (PRESIDING)
- KORBIEH, J.A.
- WELBOURNE (MRS), J.A
Areas of Law
- Property Law
- Land Law
2015
COURT OF APPEAL
GHANA
CORAM
AI Generated Summary
The judgment affirmed the Plaintiff's ownership of the disputed land, dismissing the Defendant's counterclaim. The court awarded damages for trespass and costs to the Plaintiff. The appeal by the Defendant was dismissed, and the trial court's judgment was upheld.
J U D G M E N T
WELBOURNE (MRS), J.A.
The Plaintiff is a nurse who resides in Accra whilst the Defendant, Susana Kumi also resides in Fadama.
The Plaintiff claimed to be the owner of Plot No. 496/B situate at Nii Teiko Akotia Oworsika, Town, Accra. She bought the land in 1989 from this Oworsika family who are the allodial owners of the land through the Darkuman Chief. According to the Plaintiff, she put up a single room structure on the land in dispute in 1993.
In 1995, the Defendant trespassed onto the land, destroyed her building. The Defendant then deposited sand and stone on the land.
She reported the matter to the Tesano Police Station where they were advised to go to court.
That she indeed bought the said land from the Oworsika family was confirmed in by Okyeameh of the Asere Stool. The Oworsika family falls under the Asere Stool. Also confirmed by this witness is the fact that the plaintiff took possession of this plot by erecting a single room and a hall. It was this that the defendant encroached upon the land.
The Defendant on the other hand stated that she and her husband acquired the property from one Douglas Boye, son of the Abeka chief in 1988 for Five Hundred Thousand old cedis (¢500,000.00). She planted hedges and erected a foundation. In 1993, she saw the Plaintiff on the land and reported to the Tesano Police.
For the purchase she was given a site plan by Douglas and this was all she had as documentary evidence of her ownership of the land.
The Defendant called Douglas Boye as DW1. He confirmed that he was the son of the late Chief of Abeka. His father gave him 2 plots to farm. He later sold the plots to the Defendant. According to him the Defendant gave him part payment of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand old cedis (¢250.000.00) in 1988. She planted coconut trees. She dug a trench for foundation, but Teiko the Surveyor for the Darkoman Chief destroyed all the foundation. In his own words at page 45 he told the court “The Government ordered that no one should sell the land, but I had to plead with my father to sell the plot”.
The Issues for the trial were stated thus:
1. Whether or not the Plaintiff had a valid grant of appeal vendor.
2. Whether or not Defendant had valid grant for the appeal vendor.
3. Whether or not the respective grants are covered by proper documents.
4. Whether or not by the time the Defendant trespassed and started constructing a house on the plot she was put on notice by the presence of the Plaintiff