SARAH OBUADABANG LARBI vs. TEMA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION [2020]DLSC8528

Date	2020-02-19
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/63/2019
Citation No.	[2020]DLSC8528

DOTSE JSC (PRESIDING)

GBADEGBE JSC

PWAMANG JSC

DORDZIE (MRS) JSC

KOTEY JSC

OPOKU-WARE BOATENG FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT/APPELLANT.

OSAFO BUABENG FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT/RESPONDENT WITH HIM

PATRINA DEFIA AND STEPHEN SOWAH CHARWAY.

[2020]DLSC8528
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >SARAH OBUADABANG LARBI<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p>TEMA
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT/
APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

CIVIL
APPEAL NO. J4/63/2019&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; &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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 19TH
FEBRUARY, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>OPOKU-WARE
BOATENG FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT/APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

OSAFO
BUABENG FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT/RESPONDENT WITH HIM PATRINA DEFIA AND
STEPHEN SOWAH CHARWAY.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

DOTSE
JSC (PRESIDING), GBADEGBE JSC, PWAMANG JSC, DORDZIE (MRS) JSC, KOTEY JSC <o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div>PREAMBLE<o:p></o:p>DOTSE JSC:-<o:p></o:p>This interlocutory appeal raises issues which
relate to the criteria or guidelines that an appellate court such as this
Supreme Court must consider when an appeal lies against the refusal of the
Court of Appeal in allowing a party to adduce fresh evidence as is provided for
under Rule 26 of the Court of Appeal Rules, 1997, (C. I. 19) and expatiated
further by the decision of this Court in Poku v Poku [2007-2008] SCGLR 996.<o:p></o:p>FACTS
OF THE CASE<o:p></o:p>The Plaintiff/Appellant/Respondent hereafter
referred to as the Plaintiff on the 7th day of July, 1998, commenced
a suit in the Circuit Court, Tema as the Administrator of the Estate of Ogyadu Obuadabang
Larbi (Deceased) against the Defendants/Respondents/ Appellants, hereafter
referred to as the Defendants, claiming the following reliefs:-<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “A declaration that
the said lease agreement between TDC and Ogyadu Obuadabang Larbi (Deceased) on plot
numbers TDC 346/48/18 and 19 is subsisting and not terminated.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that
by his death, the said lease property automatically became part of the
deceased’s estate fully vested in the Plaintiff to deal with. <o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An order of injunction
to restrain TDC to allocate the land to any other person or to enter same
either by themselves, their servants, agents or anyone claiming through TDC, or
any other person.” Emphasis <o:p></o:p>In an accompanying Statement of Claim, the
Plaintiff averred that the deceased, and the Defendants entered into a lease
agreement duly signed, sealed and delivered on the 11th day of March
1980 wherein the Defendants leased the demised plot numbers TDC 346/48/18 and
19 located at the heavy industrial area near Aluworks Tema, for a term of 60
years to the Plaintiff’s late husband.<o:p></o:p>Attempts by the Plaintiff to have the said lease
transactions vested in the personal representatives of the Deceased, by the
Defendants failed, whereupon she caused the said writ of summons to be
instituted on her behalf against the Defendants.<o:p></o:p>The DefendantS on their part, entered appearance
and filed a Defence in which they admitted the lease, but averred that the
lease agreement between them and the deceased husband of the Plaintiff was
terminated as far back as 1985 for non-payment of rent and non development of
the plot as per their paragraph 5 of the defence.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>