CRENTSIL vs. CRENTSIL [1962]DLSC1417

Date	1962-12-21
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1962]DLSC1417

KORSAH JSC

C.J. JSC

SARKODEE-ADOO JSC

BLAY J.S.C.

DOVE FOR THE APPELLANT.

DR. DE GRAFT JOHNSON FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[1962]DLSC1417
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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">CRENTSIL <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">&nbsp;CRENTSIL <o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT]<o:p></o:p>[1962] 2 GLR 171<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"> 21ST DECEMBER, 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">

DOVE
FOR THE APPELLANT.<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">

KORSAH, C.J., SARKODEE-ADOO
AND BLAY, JJ.S.C.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF
SARKODEE-ADDO J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>Sarkodee-Addo J.S.C. delivered the judgment of the court. The wife
(the respondent in this appeal) petitioned for the dissolution of her marriage
on the grounds of adultery and cruelty. She further claimed alimony, custody of
their two male children and maintenance for the children in the petition which
was heard by Mr. Commissioner Attoh, in the Divisional Court, Cape Coast.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The husband (the appellant in this appeal) filed a belated answer
denying the charge of cruelty but there was no denial of the commission of
adultery with the woman-named. The husband and the woman-named filed separate
affidavits in respect of their means and condition.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Mr. Commissioner Attoh in his judgment delivered on the 21st
January, 1959, stated the facts, granted the wife a decree nisi on the ground
of adultery and continued:<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">“On the question of alimony, i.e. permanent maintenance of the
wife, I am of the opinion that the petitioner should be given £G21 a month by
the respondent by way of alimony and maintenance while she has the custody of
the three and half-year-old boy until he is seven years when the custody shall
be transferred to the respondent. In the meantime the respondent shall have
access to the three and half-year-old boy. On custody of the three and
half-year-old boy being transferred to the respondent as above the alimony
shall be reduced to £G200 per annum. Custody and maintenance of
thirteen-year-old boy shall be vested in the respondent. Petitioner shall have
costs assessed at 30 guineas.”<o:p></o:p>The decree nisi was to be made absolute after the expiration of
one month from the date of delivery of the judgment, but the record discloses
that it was not until the 9th April, 1959, that is, nearly three months after,
that the decree nisi was made absolute, and no reason was assigned for the
delay.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On the 24th January, 1961, the husband filed an application for a
modification order in pursuance of Order 55, rules 3 (3), 42, 47 and 48 of
Supreme [High] Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 1954, for the court:<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">“to make orders modifying the orders of alimony or maintenance and
of custody of the infant child of the marriage made by the Commissioner of
Assize and Civil Pleas on the 21st January, 1959, to the effect that: (a) The
respondent no longer pay alimony or maintenance to the petitioner, and (b)
Custody of the said child Alexander Edward be given to the respondent, and for
any other or further orders as to the court may seem meet, upon the grounds set
forth in the accompanying affidavit.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The husband in his supporting affidavit recounted the history of
the divorce proceedings and alleged that he lived at Tamale and the wife lived
at Cape Coast, separate and apart from each other and that they had never had
sexual intercourse together since she left him at Tamale on the 10th March, 1958,
for Cape Coast; that in December 1960, she gave birth to a baby girl by one Mr.
Sam who was a tenant in the house where she lived; and that she and the said
Mr. Sam lived and cohabited as husband and wife and that Mr. Sam also provided
maintenance and necessaries for her and the child. He further alleged that the
said Mr. Sam has assumed paternal</main>