BRIMAH AND COBSOLD vs. ASANA [1962]DLHC1399

Date	1962-02-20
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1962]DLHC1399

OLLENNU J.

I. AMOO-LAMPTEY FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.

A. W. ACQUAAH FOR THE DEFENDANT.

[1962]DLHC1399
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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:#00B0F0">BRIMAH AND COBSOLD <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:#00B0F0">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:#00B0F0">ASANA <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1962] 1 GLR 118<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">

DATE:<span style="font-size:10.0pt;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:#00B0F0"> 20TH FEBRUARY, 1962.<o:p></o:p>

</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">

I.
AMOO-LAMPTEY FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.<o:p></o:p>

A.
W. ACQUAAH FOR THE DEFENDANT.<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>The house the subject-matter of this suit forms part of the estate
of one Imoru Mobalaji Peregrino Brimah deceased, late of Accra. The said Imoru
Mobalaji Peregrino Brimah died testate on the 7th August, 1961, and probate of
his will bearing the date the 14th January, 1961, was granted on the 3rd
October, 1961 to the plaintiffs, the two executors and trustees named therein.
He was a Moslem.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>By his said will the testator devised the house in dispute to the
plaintiffs upon certain trusts. The defendant is not a beneficiary under the
will, but has occupied portion of the said house and has refused to quit upon
notice given to her by the plaintiffs. The defendant admits that she is not a
beneficiary under the will. She contends however, that she is entitled to
occupy portion of the house as of right; she based her said contention on the
following grounds: <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) The will of the testator was null and void since it disposed
of more than one-third of the estate of the testator contrary to Islamic law, <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) She, the defendant, is a widow of the testator and is entitled
as of right to one-eighth share of the whole of his estate according to Islamic
law, 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">(3) The devises to the second plaintiff, a wife of the testator
and to her children by the testator, are null and void because as Moslems they
are not entitled to be beneficiaries under a will.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The deceased Imoru Mobalaji Peregrino Brimah was a Ghanaian of
Accra, a Ga Mashie, if for no other reason than the fact that his mother was a
Ga Mashie (an Accra) woman. The land with the building thereon, the subject of
the devise is situate in Accra New Town, Accra. Therefore by section 66 (1),
rule 4 of the Courts Act, 19601(1) the law to be applied in determining the
issue in this suit is the customary law of Ga Mashie. In any event since the
issue in this case has arisen in consequence of a unilateral testamentary
disposition, the law applicable i.e. the law to be applied is that laid down in
section 66 (1), rule 3 of the Courts Act, 1960, namely the law which appears
from the form or nature of the disposition to have been intended by the
testator to be applied in determining the issue; that law is the common law of
Ghana as to testate succession. That law is a combination of the customary law
common to all sections of Ghana arising out of the law of nature, that each
Ghanaian has a right to dispose of his self-acquired property by will either in
accordance with the Wills Act, 18372(2) or in accordance with the principles of
customary law i.e. by samansiw or nuncupative will.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It is wrongly assumed that because the deceased was a Moslem, his
personal law as to succession must be regulated by Islamic law. That assumption
is a grievous error. A Ghanaian can opt for any religious faith or creed, but
that choice which he freely and voluntarily makes cannot operate to deprive him
of rights and privileges under the law of the land, neither can it exempt him
from his liabilities and duties under it; whether a Christian or Moslem, pagan
or atheist, a Ghanaian remains subject to the law of the land. And at his
death, unless otherwise provided by law, devolution of his property upon
testacy or intestacy would be regulated by his personal law as modified by
statute or otherwise.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>