YEBOAH vs. YEBOAH

The parties’ marriage was dissolved on 16 April 1969. After the divorce, the defendant wife remained in the former matrimonial home at No. 131, North Labone Estate, Accra, with the four children of the marriage. The plaintiff husband served notice to quit and later sued for ejectment, asserting that he required the premises for his own occupation. The defendant resisted and counterclaimed, initially seeking a right to remain in the home, and later amending her counterclaim to seek a declaration that she was a joint owner of the house because she had contributed to its acquisition, completion, and improvement. The judgment states: “The marriage between the plaintiff and the defendant in this case was dissolved on 16 April 1969… The plaintiff therefore took out a writ of summons on 10 December 1969 claiming an order for the ejectment of the defendant…” It further records the counterclaim that the defendant sought “a declaration that she is a joint owner with the plaintiff as wife and husband of the property house No. 131, North Labone Estate because of her contribution in the acquisition and erection of the said house.”