[2019]DLHC8166 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; color:#00B0F0">ATAPERESA APERIGABE</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;color:#00B0F0"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; color:#00B0F0">ATAMPUGU AMONO, ADUSI ANYIRIMBE AND AKANYAKINA AMONO<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri">[HIGH COURT</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">, BOLGATANGA]</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif">SUIT NO. C1/09/2016</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> DATE: 26<sup>TH</sup> NOVEMBER, 2019<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">ABUDULAI JALADEEN FOR THE PLAINTIFF <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">KENNETH ADABAYERI FOR THE DEFENDANTS<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">CORAM:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;border:none; mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">JUSTICE JACOB BAWIINE BOON JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif">JUDGMENT</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The plaintiff is a farmer residing at Chuchuliga-Nanjopio in the Builsa North District of the Upper East Region. He caused to be issued the instant writ of summons from the Registry of this Court on 16<sup>th</sup> June, 2016, describing himself as the head of the Aperigabe family of Nanjopio. He asserts he brings the action for himself and on behalf of his said family. He claimed against the defendants jointly and severally the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:72.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">(1). A declaration of title to all that piece or parcel of farmland situate at Chuchuliga-Nanjopio bounded to the North by Awuusi’s farmland, a teak tree and a sheanut tree bounded to the South by Apaa’s family farmland, bounded to the East by Amono’s family farmland and bounded to the West by Asana family farmland and Atangbandima’s family farmland is the farmland of the Aperigabe family of which Plaintiff is the head of family.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:72.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">(2). Perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants, their customary successors, assigns, agents and workmen from interfering in any manner whatsoever with Plaintiff’s family ownership, possession</span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ansi-language:EN-US"> <b><i>and use of the said farmland.</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent: 36.0pt;line-height:115%"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">(3).Damages for trespass.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent: 36.0pt;line-height:115%"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">(4).Costs.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">All the defendants are described as farmers also residing in Chuchuliga-Nanjopio. The second defendant passed away during the pendency of the suit, but was not substituted.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Plaintiff’s case<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-ansi-language:EN-US">According to the plaintiff, the disputed land is his family property which was acquired by his late father Aperigabe, some fifty-eight years ago from one Anyirimbe, the Tindana of Nanjopio at the time. In both his pleadings and evidence, he presented that the said Anyirimbe, now deceased was the father of the second defendant. He averred that the land was granted to his deceased father by Anyirimbe in the presence of the son of Anyirimbe called Aguu and upon the grant, after his father had performed all the necessary customary rites, the grantor established a god on a portion of the land for his father to sacrifice, and significantly, according to the plaintiff, the establishment of the land god was a sign of the alienation of the land to his family. He said the god is still on the land which is sacrificed by his family without let or hindrance. The issue of the creation of a god on the land by the grantor for the spiritual benefit of plaintiff’s family was challenged by the defendants who averred that the god called, Apoyatinga, existed on the land before it was carved for plaintiff’s father and continued to be sacrificed by the landlord even after plaintiff’s father took possession of the land. It is noted with concern that the plaintiff made conflicting assertions regarding the existence of the god on the land. Initially, he created the impression the god was established on the land as evidence of alienation of the land to his father, and was meant to be freely sacrificed by his father without the participation of, or reference to, the grantor who allegedly placed the god on the land. Indeed, in his reply to the statement of defence, he admitted the god is called Apoyatinga, in agreement with the name given to it by the defendants, but turned round in his cross-examination to deny the existence on the land of a god by that name. Not surprisingly, in his written address, counsel for the defendants referred to the inconsistency on the part of the plaintiff touching on the existence of the alleged land god on the land claimed by him, and prayed the court not to give any weight to the assertion of the plaintiff that he was at liberty to make sacrifices to the god without reference to the grantor of the land. As may be seen later in the judgment, the prayer is so compelling that it cannot be ignored in the evaluation of p