[2021]DLSC10156 • April 21, 2021 • Supreme Court •
PETER ADJEI vs. MARGARET ADJEI
The petitioner, Peter Adjei, filed for dissolution of a twelve-year customary marriage with the respondent, Margaret Adjei, seeking custody of their two children and dissolution of the marriage. The respondent cross-petitioned for settlement of one of four flats built by the petitioner on his self-acquired land as matrimonial home, lump sum alimony, monthly maintenance, two stores on Spintex Road, and litigation costs. The High Court dissolved the marriage, granted custody to the respondent, settled one flat on her, awarded GHc500,000 lump sum and GHc1,500 monthly maintenance, but dismissed the claim for the stores. The petitioner appealed against the property settlement and maintenance awards.
read moreTHE MAJORITY DECISION OF THE COURT WAS DELIVERED BY APPAU JSC APPAU, JSC:- This appeal originates from the High Court in a matrimonial cause initiated by the man of the marriage as Petitioner against the wife as Respondent. The petitioner prayed the trial court to dissolve the twelve year old customary marriage between him and the Respondent. The Petitioner again requested for custody of the two children of the marriage aged eleven (11) and eight (8) years old. The Respondent, in an amended answer to the petition, cross-petitioned and prayed for five (5) reliefs against the Petitioner. The first was that the matrimonial home, which is one of four flats or units of flats constructed by the Petitioner on his self-acquired plot of land at Cantonments, Accra, should be settled on her. In her second relief, she prayed for a lump-sum payment of the sum of four hundred thousand Ghana cedis (GHc400,000.00) to her by the Petitioner by way of alimony and then thirdly, a monthly stipend of tw...