EVELYN OWUSU YEBOAH vs. THOMAS ABREFA ADU

The petitioner sought dissolution of an ordinance marriage celebrated on 15 October 2005 after an earlier customary marriage. She alleged that the marriage had broken down beyond reconciliation because the respondent had lived in the United Kingdom since 2007, had failed for many years to return to Ghana to live with her and their child, verbally abused her and her family, claimed to have remarried with children, unilaterally changed the address for the parties’ Databank investments, and ceased meaningful communication with her. She also claimed interests in an unnumbered house at Amasaman and Databank investments, and sought custody, maintenance, property sharing, and alimony. Portion of judgment: opening petition narrative and the section beginning “PETITION” through the petitioner’s listed reliefs; also the court’s recital under “From the petition, the incidents of breakdown particularized by the petitioner are as follows…”.

JUDGMENT This is a petition for divorce filed by the petitioner Evelyn Owusu Yeboah, seeking dissolution of their marriage contracted on 15th October 2005. PETITION In her amended petition, the petitioner stated that she and the respondent married first under customary law at New Tafo-Akim in the Eastern Region and same was converted to an ordinance marriage and celebrated under the Marriage Act, (1884) Cap 127 at the New Emmanuel Methodist Church, Akim Tafo on the same day. The petitioner since her marriage to the respondent lived briefly together with the respondent at Akim Oda. Petitioner is a Teacher while the respondent is a Chef. Petitioner pleaded that the marriage is blessed with one child namely Kofi Konadu Abrefa aged nine (9) years old as at the year 2017. Petitioner claimed that the marriage has broken down beyond reconciliation and gave some particulars of the breakdown as follows: The respondent abuses the petitioner and petitioner’s family members verbally all t.....