NKANSAH vs ADJEBENG AND ANOTHER [1961]DLHC5428

Date	1961-06-30
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1961]DLHC5428

OLLENNU J.

TWUM BARIMA FOR THE PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT.

A. W. ACQUAAH FOR THE DEFENDANTS-RESPONDENTS.

[1961]DLHC5428
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">NKANSAH<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">&nbsp;vs <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">ADJEBENG AND ANOTHER<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#548DD4">&nbsp;[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

TWUM
BARIMA FOR THE PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>

A.
W. ACQUAAH FOR THE DEFENDANTS-RESPONDENTS.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

OLLENNU, J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF
OLLENNU J.<o:p></o:p>This is an appeal from a judgment of the District Court,
Koforidua, which reversed the decision of the local court magistrate, Nkawkaw,
given in favour of the plaintiff. The material part of the judgment of the
learned district magistrate is as follows: “After hearing counsel on both
sides, I am satisfied that the deceased testator in his life-time acquired the
properties in dispute for himself and therefore cannot be deemed to be family
property.” The submissions made for the defendants before the learned magistrate
are:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(1) Since
probate had been granted of the will of the testator, a local court had no
jurisdiction to entertain a suit for declaration that the properties,
subject-matter of the said will are family property and not the individual
property of the testator;<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(2) That no
evidence was adduced to prove that the property is family property;<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(3) That no
family property was traced to the defendants, the executors and beneficiaries
under the will of the testator; and<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(4) That the
exhibits in the case show that the testator was in partnership with his
children in business.<o:p></o:p>And the submissions made for the plaintiff are that:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(1) Since there
is evidence that the testator started business with moneys he had from members
of his family, and<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(2) Since he
succeeded to and managed family property without accounting to the family, all
properties he died possessed of must be deemed to be family property.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The local court magistrate made two important findings of fact,
namely: (1) that the deceased succeeded one Berko and was up to the date of his
death in charge and control of three substantial farms left by the said Berko,
and also had money and other personal property left by the said Berko; and (2)
that he did not believe that the defendants and other children of the deceased
invested money in the business of the testator as exhibit P purported to show,
because if they had, the testator would have been present as an independent
witness to the payment.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>An appellate court is not entitled to set aside findings of fact
made by a trial court unless it could show from the evidence on the record that
the findings made by the trial court are not warranted, or are not reasonable
inferences to be drawn from the facts established by the evidence. And where an
appellate court makes findings of fact which were not considered by the trial
court it must show the evidence on the record which wa</main>