Lakeside Estate wins case against Teshie and La families

An Accra High Court has adjudged that the land measuring 2,911.53 acres and situated at Katamanso in the Greater Accra region legally belongs to Agri Cattle Lakeside Estate and it is part of the Nungua Stool lands.

According to the judgement: "The court declares that the second defendant owns the legal and equitable interest and title in the piece and parcel of land situated at Katamanso measuring 2,911.53 and part of the Nungua stool land ..", better described or delineated in the Land Title Certificate No. TD 0513, Volume 019, Folio No. 241, granted to Agri-Cattle Lakeside Estate Ltd.

The court further granted the second defendant general damages of GH50,000 for the damage done to their walls by the plaintiffs and their assigns.

Additionally, the court allowed against the plaintiffs total costs of GH10,000 representing costs of GH5,000 of the second and third defendants.

The court further ordered that "The plaintiffs, their agents, assigns, workmen and all persons or bodies, natural or artificial, claiming through, under or by them are hereby perpetually restrained from any claim or dealings with the above-described lands."

The court presided over by Justice Eric Baah dismissed claims by the plaintiffs in its entirety and entered judgement in favour of the second defendant on its counterclaims.

Agri Cattle Lakeside Estate was represented by Noble Prince-Joseph Ayiku and Nungua Stool represented by Nii Dr. Kpakpo Sraha III.

On the 9th May 2013,the Nuumo Nmashie and Ashiyie Family of Teshie/La obtained a default judgement against Benjamin Quarshie Mensah and used that judgement to attack Lakeside land but the default judgement was set aside on 27th January 2014. The case went for full trial.

The plaintiffs, Nuumo Nmashie & Ashiyie families of Teshie/La were represented by Daniel Nii Adzete Adzei and James Nii Nmai Kodjo.

According to the plaintiffs, they were the rightful owners of 1,463.40 acres (equal to 592.24 hectares) of land they acquired from their ancestors through war and conquest, they wanted the land in question to be declared as theirs legally as against similar claims by the defendants.

But the court dismissed their entire claims in the 37-page judgement that was delivered by Justice Dennis Adjei, Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as additional High Court judge, on behalf of the trial judge Justice Eric Baah.