Buipewura Jinapor II (left) and Mankpanwura Gbeadese, (right)
The Mankpan Traditional Area has lost a land case against the Buipe Traditional Council at the Tamale High Court today on November 9, 2023, with the judge slapping a GHC50,000 fine on the Mankpan Traditional Area.
It will be recalled that late Mankpanwura Gbeadese (Plaintiff) on behalf of the people of Mankpan Traditional Area sued Buipewura Jinapor II (Defendant) and the Buipe Traditional Council at the Tamale High Court in 2016 claiming ownership of lands from the Sur stream up to Buipe.
The Buipewura disputed the claim of the Mankpanwura and stated that lands raging from the Lee stream including Bilisikura through to Kabilpe and sharing boundaries with the Sur stream originally belonged to the Buipe Traditional Council.
Before going to the high court, the matter was first heard at the Jakpa Palace but plaintiffs seemed not to be satisfied with the ruling of Yagbonwura Tuntimba Boresa (I), King and Overlord, and therefore proceeded to court.
After 7 years in court, the judge sitting on the land case Justice Daniel Obeng, on November 9, 2023, pronounced judgment in favour of the Buipewura and the Buipe Traditional Council.
According to the judgment, Mankpanwura did not produce enough evidence to claim ownership of the said lands therefore, the case was dismissed.
Speaking to the media after the ruling, the lawyer for the defendant, Buipewura Jinapor II, Lawyer Issah Mahamudu said they were happy about the ruling and called on the plaintiffs Mankpanwura and the people of Mankpan Traditional Area to accept the ruling in good faith.
Meanwhile, the representative of the plaintiff (Makpan Traditional Area) declined to speak to the media immediately after the ruling.
