The Ataa Tawiah Tsinaiatse and Numo Ofoli Kwashie families, joint owners of the over 808.644 acres of land situated at La Opintin behind the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre (GITFC) in Accra, have warned the general public to discontinue engaging the East Dadekotopon Development Trust (EDDT) in its dealings as far as the land is concern.

The caution comes on the heels of a High Court ruling in Accra presided over by Justice K. A. Ofori Atta on December 7, 2010 which restrained the EDDT from trespassing on the said land, in Suit No. Bl 431/2006, Edward Mensah Tawiah and Ewormenyo Ofoli Kwashie (Plaintiffs) Vrs. The Ag Chief Registrar of Lands and the Trustees, East Dadekotopon Development Trust (Defendants).

The land in question, according to report, stretches from the Gas Filing Station near the Labadi Beach through the Zenith University College to the Labadi Public Cemetery and shares boundary with the Tseado family.

It continues from the Rasta road to the Tebibiano Bridge to the newly opened Kpeshie Goil Filing Station at the Southern Command.

In the said judgement, which granted the ownership of the land to the two families, ordered that the 1st defendant (The Ag Chief Registrar of Lands) issue a Land Title Certificate in the joint names of the Plaintiffs in respect of the land in dispute covering the 808.644 acres.

“…I have in this delivery said that the transactions leading to and including the grant of the Land Title Certificate were activated by fraud.”

This paper has established that Justice Ofori Atta’s ruling also declared null and void all documents in possession of the EDDT as far as ownership to the land is concern.

The Judge continued to state categorically that, “From the foregoing it is declared that the Land Title Certificate issued to the 2nd Defendant by the 1st Defendant and tendered in these proceedings as exhibit 4 is null and void.”

The Court was convinced that the Plaintiffs’ exhibits were convincing enough to point out that all the relevant procedures were Numbers observed in the application for the registration of their land contained in the Cadastral Registration Map X2926.

In view of the ruling given in their favour, making them the rightful owners to the said land, the heads of the Ataa Tawiah Tsinaiatse and Numo Ofoli Kwashie families are calling on the general public to take cognizance of the decisions by the court and cease any kind of business with the East Dadekotopon Development Trust.

According to them, acts currently undertaken by the Trust on the land is against a High Court ruling.

The two families are of the view that despite the court ruling restraining EDDT from trespassing on the land, the company continues to sell the land to unsuspecting Ghanaians, a development which is currently generating tension between the EDD and some property owners in the area.

However, the plaintiffs, Edward Mensah Tawiah and Ewormenyo Ofoli Kwashie demanded for a declaration that all that parcel of land traditionally belonging to them.

The High court established that the 2nd defendant, EDDT is not entitled to make grants of any of the plaintiffs land, and hence was asked to stay off the land in question.

The presiding Judge added: “Finally the 2 nd defendant whether by themselves, their servants, agents, privies, workmen or assigns are hereby restrained from in any manner interfering with the Plaintiffs possession and enjoyment of the land, the subject matter of this suit.”

According to them, “anybody in possession of any form of document, title and certificate are acquired fraudulently”.

However, this paper is in possession of other documents and court rulings regarding the said land, and will in its subsequent editions publish them.