The Supreme Court of Ghana has clarified that the Numo Nmashie family of Teshie are not the owners of 70 villages, which occupied over 72,000 acres of land in the Greater Accra Region, as they hold themselves to be.
According to a report by graphic.com.gh, a five-member panel of the court chaired by Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, made it clear that the Numo Nmashie has no claim to the said land as indicated by a Court of Appeal’s decision in 1982, which declared them owners of the piece of land.
The court said that the Court of Appeal ruling and all other rulings which indicated the family were the owners of the land were fraudulent and cannot stand.
It, therefore, ordered the Lands Commission to expunge all registrations and certificates issued to the Numo Nmashie family of Teshie, and the Tetteh Olewolon Family, in respect of the 72,000 acres.
The villages affected by the decision are Peduase, Obuom, Nsakye, Agyemanti, Brotrease, Danfa, Adoteiman, Otinibi, Malidzano, Okyrekomfo Kotei, Taboadidi, Ayim, Adenkrebi, Abefia, Ayimensa, Kweiman, Odonkorkurom and Kwadwokurom.
Others are Otiakurum, Otopram, Brekusu, Kponko, Dedekurom, Sesemi, Teiman, Papao, Ogbodzo, Adaman, Mpehuasem, Otinshi, Otanor, La- Bawaleshie, Tesa, Adjiringano, Okpoi Gonno, Manmormo, Oshiyie, Amanfro, Bobamase, Abokobi, Nyamekurom, Oyarifa and Ogoha.
The rest are Ajangote, Akpomang, Boi, Pantang, Sempene, Frafraha, Apenkwa, Abladdzei, Ankome, Ashonman, Agbogba, Adenta, Otuwa, Madina, Nkwantanang, Ashale-Botwe, Atwuo-Okuman, Martey Tsuru, Gbatsuma, Okpegon, Ablekuma, Odediben, Agbleshia, Alegon, Mangoase, Teshie and Kpeshie Ridge.
The clarification by the Supreme Court was an affirmation of its judgment dated March 22, 2023, in favour of the Boi Stool and 13 others.
The panel that made the judgment had Justice Jones Victor Mawulorm Dotse, as the presiding judge, with Justices Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu, Nene Abayateye Ofoe Amegatcher, Avril Lovelace-Johnson and Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, as members.