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Citation
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Judgment date
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| September 2025 |
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Plaintiff failed to prove title; unchallenged evidence showed defendants’ family owned the land, so claim dismissed with costs.
Land law — Declaration of title — Burden of proof on plaintiff to establish ownership by clear and acceptable evidence — Family/customary grants and gifts of land — Long possession and unchallenged evidence amounting to admission — Reclamation for development requires proof of family consent.
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16 September 2025 |
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Applicant awarded GH¢500, interest from 15 December 2024 and GH¢500 costs after respondent’s partial repayment and repudiation.
Contract law – sale of goods – repudiation by unilateral conduct (letting part of property) – admission dispenses proof – specific performance unavailable where innocent party treats contract as discharged – award of remaining balance, interest and costs.
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11 September 2025 |
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Failure to call key eyewitnesses led to discharge for unlawful damage; accused convicted and sentenced for theft.
Criminal law – Unlawful damage (s.172(1)(b), Act 29) – Elements require intentional and unlawful damage – Burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt – Failure to call material eyewitnesses undermines prosecution case – Guilty plea simpliciter results in conviction and sentencing.
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10 September 2025 |
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3 September 2025 |
| August 2025 |
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Applicants failed to prove unanimous beneficiary consent to sell; claim for vacant possession was dismissed.
Capacity to sue – expectant beneficiaries may sue in equity; Will construction – tenancy in common where language conveys separate shares; Sale of family property – unanimous beneficiary consent required to sell or evict co-beneficiary; Evidence – admissions, failure to cross-examine and inconsistent testimony dispense with or diminish need for proof.
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27 August 2025 |
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Plaintiff failed to prove a customary gift; defendants’ informal intestate distribution was proper and the claim was dismissed.
Customary gift — requirements (intention, publicity, acceptance, possession); burden of proof in civil claims; possession claim puts title in issue; intestate succession (PNDC Law 111) — distribution among spouses and children; Letters of Administration and informal family distribution; evidentiary value of admissions and witness corroboration.
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21 August 2025 |
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Petitioner awarded 20% of matrimonial house; other property claims dismissed for lack of evidence.
Family law – Matrimonial property – Section 21(1) Matrimonial Causes Act – property completed during marriage treated as matrimonial asset; entitlement may arise absent direct documentary proof of contribution. Evidence – Burden to prove ownership or contribution – documentary proof required to establish claims to specific assets. Distribution – valuation and equitable share where construction completed in marriage (20% awarded).
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19 August 2025 |
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Plaintiff proved title on the balance of probabilities; 1st defendant failed to rebut and must surrender title documents.
Land law – title disputes – standard of proof in land cases (balance of probabilities) – proof of root of title, mode of acquisition and acts of possession – admissibility and weight of documentary evidence (site plans, bank transfers, WhatsApp messages) – credibility of witnesses – perpetual injunction and delivery of title documents.
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14 August 2025 |
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A valid sale agreement existed; defendant breached it and must pay GH¢35,134 for vehicle repairs; most counterclaims failed.
Contract – formation and interpretation of written agreement – breach for failure to pay and wrongful retention of goods; damages – cost of repairs established by invoices and police inspection report; loss-of-use claims require proof of hiring revenue; counterclaims for repair costs and for torture/psychological harm must be corroborated and supported by documentary/medical evidence; lawfulness of arrest/detention assessed against statutory requirements (Act 30).
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7 August 2025 |
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The applicant entitled to possession after long rent-free occupancy; improvements deemed consideration; three months to vacate.
Land law – Possession and temporary occupancy – Implied reasonable time where no fixed term agreed – Long rent‑free occupation (26 years) extinguishes claim to continued possession and monetary compensation for improvements; improvements treated as consideration – Owner entitled to vacant possession with short grace period to vacate – Costs awarded.
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5 August 2025 |
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Defendant’s admissions and failure to prove matrimonial interest entitled plaintiff to declaration, possession and injunction.
Land law – declaration of title and recovery of possession; interlocutory and perpetual injunctions; admissions in court as conclusive evidence; claim of matrimonial interest – burden to prove marriage and financial contribution; sufficiency of lease with schedules as evidence of title.
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4 August 2025 |
| July 2025 |
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Retention of goods by a defendant after his counter-offer is rejected may constitute acceptance of the plaintiff's original offer.
Contract law – Offer and counter-offer; counter-offer rejects original offer; acceptance by conduct (retention of goods); burden of proof on balance of probabilities; remedies – recovery of purchase price, interest, costs.
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31 July 2025 |
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Court adopts ADR settlement report filed 1 July 2025 as the consent judgment, disposing the criminal matter.
Criminal procedure — court-connected ADR — adoption of settlement report — consent judgment in magistrate’s court.
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30 July 2025 |
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The applicant entitled to refund of excess rent advance after vacating uninhabitable premises; landlord’s illegality defence rejected.
Rent law – advance rent – latent defects – uninhabitable premises – tenant justified in vacating – recovery of excess rent advance – section 25(5) Rent Act 1963 (alleged illegality) – counterclaim dismissed.
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24 July 2025 |
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Community proved title and possession; court awarded possession, perpetual injunction, damages (GH¢3,000) and costs (GH¢5,000).
Land law – Proof of title by deed and continuous possession – Trespass – Reliefs: recovery of possession, perpetual injunction, general damages and costs – Civil procedure: court may proceed in absentia where defendants fail to participate.
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21 July 2025 |
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17 July 2025 |
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16 July 2025 |
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Uncontested oral investment agreement awarded plaintiff USD 5,000, interest and costs.
Contract law – oral investment agreement – proof on preponderance of probabilities; Civil procedure – substituted service and defendant’s default – judgment on unchallenged evidence; Remedies – repayment of debt, simple interest at prevailing bank rate from date money retained; Costs awarded.
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15 July 2025 |
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The court ordered the respondent to pay half of utility arrears after rejecting her inconsistent testimony.
Rent/control proceedings – utility arrears – admissibility and weight of meter readings – burden of proof on plaintiff – credibility findings – enforcement of ADR partial terms.
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15 July 2025 |
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Applicant failed to prove a public right of way; respondent’s washroom held to be within his land and claim dismissed.
Planning law – Requirement for building permits – Local Government Act 2016 (Act 936) – Unauthorized development. Property/easement – Claim of public right of way – burden to prove open and continuous use/enforcement of layout plans. Evidence – Burden of proof on claimant in civil matters; role and weight of expert Town and Country Planning evidence. Administrative responsibility – District Assemblies’ duty to regulate development and consequences of lax enforcement.
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10 July 2025 |
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Court adopts mediated settlement as consent judgment ordering defendant to yield vacant possession by specified date.
Civil procedure – Alternative dispute resolution – Consent judgment – Adoption of settlement terms as court order; Property – vacant possession – distinction between movable items and fixtures; Enforcement – writ of possession; Waiver of relief recorded and dismissed.
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10 July 2025 |
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Whether the applicant was entitled to refund after alleging deceit in a sale that court found concerned only a container.
Sale of movable property – whether sale included land – burden of proof and corroboration – inability to alienate government land – transfer of ownership upon payment and possession – remedy of rescission/refund – costs awarded.
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2 July 2025 |
| June 2025 |
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30 June 2025 |
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Plaintiff entitled to vehicle or its market value where bailee negligently failed to safeguard it.
Property/Bailment — Bailee’s duty of reasonable care; Negligence — liability for loss or theft while goods are in bailee’s possession; Civil burden of proof — balance of probabilities; Remedy — return of goods or market value; Costs awarded.
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30 June 2025 |
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30 June 2025 |
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30 June 2025 |
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Whether the defendant lawfully terminated the SLA without written notice of defects and withheld payment.
Contract law — Service Level Agreement — Delivery and acceptance clause requiring written notice within five days — Termination clause — Lawful termination only after cure period — Acceptance by failure to notify — Breach for wrongful cancellation — Remedies: outstanding sum, interest, general damages, costs — Entire-agreement clause bars unwritten variations.
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24 June 2025 |
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24 June 2025 |
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Customary successor entitled to chamber and undeveloped plot where devolution was admitted; counterclaim dismissed.
Customary succession – devolution of property to customary successor; Proof and onus in civil claims – admission by opposing party; Land/property dispute – declaration of ownership and perpetual injunction; Counterclaim – failure for lack of evidence of possession of documents. |
23 June 2025 |
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An unstamped, unregistered indenture cannot prove the plaintiff's title; possession warrants injunction and damages against the defendant.
Land law – proof of title – admissibility of instruments – unstamped and unregistered indenture inadmissible; possession as prima facie title; default judgment; trespass damages (special v general); Stamp Act compliance.
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23 June 2025 |
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Plaintiff failed to prove alleged Twi slander or its publication; claim dismissed and costs awarded.
Defamation — allegedly slanderous words — capacity to bear defamatory meaning — requirement of publication to third parties — plaintiff’s burden of proof and need for corroboration of alleged listeners.
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20 June 2025 |
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20 June 2025 |
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Court adopted parties' ADR settlement as a consent judgment, making the agreed monetary terms binding and enforceable.
Civil procedure – Alternative dispute resolution (Court-Connected ADR) – Parties’ settlement adopted by court as consent judgment – Enforcement of ADR settlements – Claim for recovery of monies from consignment/sale on commission.
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19 June 2025 |
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17 June 2025 |
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16 June 2025 |
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Accused acquitted of threat by defence of property but convicted for stealing three chairs; fined, imprisoned in default, and ordered to compensate.
Criminal law – Threat of harm (s.74 Act 29) – necessity/defence of property (s.31(g) Act 29) – standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt; Theft (s.124(1) Act 29) – conviction limited to specific items proved (three chairs, Exhibit G); sentencing and compensation under Criminal Offences Procedure Act, 1960 (Act 30).
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16 June 2025 |
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Court adopted the parties’ C.C.A.D.R. settlement as a consent judgment, resolving the applicant’s access-to-issues claim.
Alternative dispute resolution – Court-Connected ADR – Adoption of terms of settlement by court – Consent judgment – Parties’ settlement given judicial effect.
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13 June 2025 |
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Plaintiff recovers unpaid purchase balance and interest after vendor retained and sold the returned defective vehicle; counterclaim dismissed.
Sale of goods – used vehicle defects – evidentiary burden on quantum of payment – credibility of receipt – unjust enrichment where vendor retains and sells returned goods – specific performance inappropriate where subject matter sold – interest and costs awarded.
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10 June 2025 |
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Possession of cut cables and admission of backpack ownership proved unlawful entry and stealing beyond reasonable doubt.
Criminal law – Unlawful entry – Elements: entry, unlawfulness, intent – Stealing – Elements: appropriation, dishonesty, non-ownership – Possession and admissions as evidence – Burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt.
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10 June 2025 |
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Defendants’ counterclaim for repair costs and loss of peaceful enjoyment dismissed for failure to prove expenditure and loss.
Landlord and tenant — counterclaim for repairs and damages — burden of proof in civil cases — invoice and uncorroborated testimony insufficient to prove expenditure or loss of peaceful enjoyment — counterclaim dismissed.
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4 June 2025 |
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Decree of dissolution granted where parties had not cohabited for two continuous years and respondent consented.
Matrimonial Causes Act (Act 367) – Sole ground for divorce is breakdown beyond reconciliation; grounds include unreasonable behaviour and non-cohabitation for two years with respondent’s consent; admissions by non-traversal treated as proved; court may grant decree where statutory facts established and consent present.
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4 June 2025 |
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Applicant’s unchallenged allegations and two-year non-cohabitation with respondent’s consent justified dissolution of the ordinance marriage.
Matrimonial Causes Act 1971 (Act 367) – divorce – breakdown beyond reconciliation – unreasonable behaviour – non-cohabitation for two years with respondent’s consent – unchallenged admissions in pleadings.
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4 June 2025 |
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Failure to comply with statutory written form renders a work-and-pay agreement unenforceable; defamation counterclaim dismissed.
Hire Purchase/Work-and-Pay – statutory requirement of written, signed agreement for enforceability; burden of proof in civil cases — preponderance of probabilities; defamation – need to prove falsity and publication/corroboration.
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3 June 2025 |
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3 June 2025 |
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3 June 2025 |
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Applicant entitled to eject respondent after lease expiry where premises required for applicant’s business and notice was effectively given.
Landlord and tenant law – Rent Act (Act 220) s.17(1)(h) – Expired lease – Requirement for premises for landlord’s business use – Six months’ notice requirement and effect of rent officer’s order – Evidence required to convert tenant improvements into rent; counterclaim failure for lack of corroboration.
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3 June 2025 |
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3 June 2025 |
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2 June 2025 |
| May 2025 |
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Plaintiff failed to prove a GH¢15,000 contract; court found an employment relationship and dismissed the claim with costs.
Civil procedure — burden of proof and standard (preponderance of probabilities) — requirement of admissible credible evidence to establish contract; employment relationship distinguished from contract for services; credibility assessment of documentary and oral evidence.
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29 May 2025 |
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Counterclaim for defective workmanship dismissed for failure to discharge burden of proof and produce corroborative evidence.
Civil procedure – burden of proof – contractor liability for defective workmanship – hearsay and unsigned documents insufficient to establish causation and quantum – need for corroborative witnesses.
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29 May 2025 |
