Supreme Court Petitioned To Overturn Ga Mantse Ruling

King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II has lodged an application at the Supreme Court seeking to nullify a Court of Appeal decision that upheld a High Court order directing the National House of Chiefs to reinstate Nii Tackie Adama Latse II as Ga Mantse on the national register of chiefs.

Legal Challenge Filed

In a certiorari application filed by his legal team, led by Professor Peter A. Atupare, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II contends that the High Court’s initial ruling in November 2021 later affirmed by the Court of Appeal was procedurally flawed. The motion argues that Justice Frederick Tetteh of the High Court failed to notify or grant a hearing to King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II before ordering the restoration of Nii Adama Latse’s name, thereby breaching the principles of natural justice.

The application further asserts that the High Court lacked jurisdiction to issue such an order and that the Court of Appeal erred in upholding it. Additionally, the motion claims that the ruling contravenes the Wednesbury principle, leading to an irrational outcome where two individuals could be listed as Ga Mantse on the National Register of Chiefs.

Background of the Dispute

The legal battle stems from the removal of Nii Adama Latse’s name from the National Register in April 2021 without prior notice. After discovering the deletion, his legal team demanded reinstatement, but the National House of Chiefs refused. Consequently, Nii Adama Latse sought judicial review at the Kumasi High Court, which ruled in his favor.

Dissatisfied, the National House of Chiefs appealed, arguing that the High Court lacked jurisdiction over chieftaincy matters. However, on June 12, 2025, a three-member Court of Appeal panel dismissed the appeal, affirming that the removal of Nii Adama Latse’s name was unlawful since there was no evidence of his destoolment, death, or abdication.

Pending Applications

While the Supreme Court prepares to hear the certiorari application, the National House of Chiefs has filed for a stay of execution pending an appeal. Meanwhile, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II’s office has clarified that the Court of Appeal’s ruling did not confer legitimacy on Nii Adama Latse as Ga Mantse but merely addressed an administrative oversight.

A statement from his office emphasized that chieftaincy disputes fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of traditional and regional judicial committees, not the regular courts. It urged the public to disregard misleading interpretations of the judgment, assuring that the substantive case remains before the Judicial Committee of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs.

Next Steps

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the motion on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, while stakeholders await further developments in this protracted chieftaincy dispute. The outcome could have significant implications for Ga traditional leadership and the legal processes governing chieftaincy records in Ghana.

Source: GhanaFeed.Com