ASAMOAH vs. OFORI ALIAS RENNER [1961]DLHC625

Date	1961-05-25
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1961]DLHC625

OLLENNU J

E.K.N. OLAGA FOR PLAINTIFF

DEFENDANT IN PERSON

<p class="mb-5" id="contentDlCitation"  hidden>[1961]DLHC625</p>
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p>

</p><p align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#00B0F0">ASAMOAH</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;
color:#00B0F0"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#00B0F0">vs.</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;
color:#00B0F0"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#00B0F0">OFORI ALIAS RENNER</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;
color:#00B0F0"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">E.K.N.
OLAGA FOR PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">DEFENDANT
IN PERSON.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">CORAM:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">This action was brought by the
plaintiff in his capacity as successor duly appointed in accordance with
customary law to the late Alfred Mark Ofori, also known as Emmanuel Etiemo,
late of Aburi, Akwapim. It is for an order revoking letters of administration
with will annexed, granted to the defendant, and for a further order granting
fresh letters of administration in respect of the same estate to the plaintiff.
The defendant is the eldest son of the deceased Alfred Mark Ofori. His said
father died on or about the 12th November, 1954, and the letters in question
were granted to him by this court on or about the 18th March, 1955; the letters
of administration with will annexed are exhibit A.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The said Alfred Mark Ofori died
leaving a will; but the only property which that will purported to dispose of
is a piece or parcel of land situate at Aduasa in Western Akim; it made no
disposition of any personalty either by bequest of specific chattels or of
residue; and there was no devise of the residue of reality comprised in the
estate. Therefore in respect of personalty, the said Alfred Mark Ofori died
intestate, and it appears that the letters of administration with will annexed
were granted to the defendant upon representation made by him that he is, by
customary law, the successor to his late father.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">A dispute between the plaintiff and
the defendant as to which of them is the lawful successor to the deceased was
finally determined by a judgment of this court delivered in favour of the
plaintiff on the 13th February, 1959, exhibit C in this case. The defendant is
therefore estopped per rem judicatam from re-litigating that issue. It is a
sequel to that judgment that the plaintiff instituted the present suit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">Granting of letters of
administration with or without will annexed, is in the discretion of the court;
but the exercise of that discretion is guided by certain principles and rules
of practice; foremost among those principles and rules, is the interest of the
estate and the will of those beneficially entitled to it. That principle is
summarised in Williams on Executors and Administrators, (11th ed.), page 337,
as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">“The Court considered it its duty to place administration in the
hands of that person who was likely best to covert it to advantage of those who
have claim, either in paying the creditors, or in making distribution; the
primary object being the interest of the estate. But when there is no material
objection on one hand, or reason for preference on the other, the Court, in its
discretion, puts administration into the hands of that person, among those of
the same degree of kindred to whom the majority of the parties interested are
desirous of entrusting the estate.”</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background</main>