<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><u>JUDGMENT</u></strong></p><p><strong><u>Azu Crabbe, C.J. </u></strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is an appeal from the decision of the judicial committee of the National House of Chiefs dated 27 July 1976, affirming a ruling by the judicial committee of the Regional House of Chiefs, Volta Region, by which the appellants&#x27; plea of <em>estoppel per rem judicatam</em> was overruled<em> in limine</em>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The facts of this case are simple and may be briefly stated. On 11 January 1958, the Govenor-General of Ghana, acting under section 8 (1) of the State Councils (Southern Ghana and Southern Togoland) Ordinance, 1952 (No. 8 of 1952), appointed a committee of inquiry (hereinafter called the Apaloo Committee of Inquiry) consisting of Mr. F. K. Apaloo, barrister-at-law, as he then was, as chairman, and Togbe Gblemor, divisional chief of Liate and Togbe Gbogbolulu, divisional chief of Vakpo, as members. The terms of reference of the committee were:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">(1) to investigate the traditional structure of the Ho Division and to determine the constitutional relationship between the several chi…</p></blockquote>