[2000]DLHC130 • April 12, 2000 • High Court
FINK vs COELHO
The parties, a married couple lawfully married in Denmark in 1991, had one child, Juliana Porchia Fink. The family lived in Germany where the plaintiff, a German national, resided. The marriage was dissolved in 1996. The defendant initially held a Togolese passport but later presented multiple Ghanaian passports with varying names and birth details. The defendant abducted the child twice, first in 1995 and again in 1999, removing her from Germany and later from Ivory Coast without the plaintiff's consent. The plaintiff had obtained German court orders granting him custody and restricting the defendant's access, which she violated. The plaintiff sought a declaration of custody and return of the child, as well as damages for the abduction.
read moreJUDGEMENT Dordzie J. The parties herein were a married couple. They were lawfully married on 14 July 1991 in Denmark. The couple had one child Juliana Porchia Fink, born on 17 November 1991. The family lived together in Germany, the plaintiff being a German national. On 9 February 1996 the marriage between the parties was dissolved. It is the case of the plaintiff that when he met the defendant she made him understand she was a Togolese and had a Togolese passport. Her name in the Togolese passport is Mabel Houedakor; her date of birth is 15 December 1966 and her place of birth is Aneho. After their marriage the defendant regularized her stay in Germany. In the application for resident permit in Germany, the defendant gave the following particulars of herself: Surname: Fink; maiden name: Houedakor; first name: Mabel. The date and place of birth were as in her Togolese passport. The name of her parents she gave as follows: Father: Houedakor Tetevi Michael; mother: Houedakor Jos...