NANA KWASI AFREH II & 2ORS v. ASSOCIATION OF VOLTA LAND COMPENSATION & 12 0RS
2012
HIGH COURT
GHANA
CORAM
- DENNIS ADJEI, J.A
Areas of Law
- Civil Procedure
- Contract Law
2012
HIGH COURT
GHANA
CORAM
AI Generated Summary
The plaintiffs sought multiple reliefs from the defendants regarding the legitimacy and financial decisions of the Association of VR Flooded Lands Compensation Claimants. The defendants contended the writ of summons was defective as it was issued by a non-lawyer entity, contrary to the Legal Profession Act, and filed a motion to strike it out. The court held that the writ was void and set it aside as it was not issued by a recognized lawyer or the plaintiff. The court referenced several legal principles, including those related to the issuance of writs, applications to strike pleadings, and the legal consequences of a void act.
DENNIS ADJEI, J. A
The plaintiffs per their writ of summons were seeking from the defendants the following reliefs: “i. A declaration that there is no legally constituted Association or body known as Association of VR Flooded Lands compensation Claimants.
i. A declaration that defendants have no authority, right, power or capacity to deduct or cause any monies due the Pai Katanga compensation claim to be deducted.
ii. An order for accounts against the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants for all monies received in the name of the 1st defendant.
iii. An order for the refund of all monies deducted from the Pai Traditional Area claims of the compensation b the 1st defendant.
iv. An order of perpetual junction restraining the defendants, by themselves, their agents, assigns, privies whomsoever from making decisions of any monies due the Pai Traditional Area”.
On 1st December, 2011. The 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 11th and 12th.
Defendants entered conditional appearance to the plaintiffs’ writ of summons.
Copies of the conditional appearance were to be served on the plaintiffs or their lawyers as well as the 1st, 4th, 6th, 9th and 10th defendants or their lawyer Hon. K. Owusu Yeboah. However, Hon. K. Owusu Yeboah who was described as lawyer for the 1st, 4th, 6th, 9th and 10th defendants entered conditional appearance for his clients on 6th December, 2011. What amazes me is the service of the conditional appearance filed by the lawyer for the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 11th and 12nd defendants meant to be served on Hon.
Owusu Yeboah as lawyer for the 1st, 4th, 6th, 9th and 10th defendants when he had not filed any process in the matter.
Owusu Yeboah entered conditional appearance for his clients five days after the filling of the conditional appearance by the lawyer for 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 11th and 12 defendants . On 20th December, 2011 the lawyer for 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 11th and 12th defendants filed a motion on notice to strike out the plaintiff’s writ of summons for being defective.
Defendants applicant’s lawyer filed the motion to strike out the plaintiff’s action as incompetent five(5) days after the conditional appearance had become regular or normal appearance . The grounds of the applicants application are that: “1. The writ of summons was issued by an entity known as a legal link which is not a lawyer and therefore lacked capacity to institute an action as a lawyer on behalf of the Plaintiffs and(2) It was filed contrary to section 2, 3 and 8 of the Legal profession