KNUDSEN vs. KNUDSEN

The petitioner and the respondent were married under the Ordinance at the Office of the Registrar of Marriages, Accra, on 31 August 1957. They lived together in Tafo, later in Denmark, England, and for a period in Kenya, before returning to Ghana on 13 May 1973 with their three children. The petitioner initially filed a petition for divorce, but on 19 November 1973 that petition was withdrawn and struck out. The respondent then pursued the reliefs in his answer, including a cross-petition seeking dissolution of the marriage. He alleged a long history of nagging, jealousy, assaults, destruction of property, extravagance, and conduct by the petitioner which he said caused the marriage to fail. The court, however, found that despite these complaints, the parties resumed cohabitation upon their return to Ghana, had sexual relations, and the petitioner assisted the respondent to obtain permits and seek employment in Ghana. The court concluded that their conduct after returning to Ghana was inconsistent with a marriage that had already broken down beyond reconciliation. Portion of judgment: “They all flew to Ghana and lived together in Accra. They continued to live together up to about 12 October this year...” and “there is evidence that after their arrival here the respondent has had sexual intercourse with the petitioner... She also tried to help him find employment in Ghana.”