IN RE ESSUMAN (DECD.); ESSUMAN AND ANOTHER vs. TESCHMAKER [1967]DLCA1504

Date	1967-05-22
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1967]DLCA1504

AZU CRABBE JA

OLLENNU JA

APALOO J.A.

B. J. DA ROCHA (ENIN WITH HIM) FOR THE APPELLANT.

HAYFRON-BENJAMIN JNR. FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[1967]DLCA1504
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >IN RE ESSUMAN (DECD.); ESSUMAN AND ANOTHER <o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>TESCHMAKER <o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL]<o:p></o:p>[1967] GLR 359<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">

DATE:
22 MAY 1967.<o:p></o:p>

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

B. J. DA ROCHA (ENIN WITH HIM) FOR THE APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>

HAYFRON-BENJAMIN, JNR., FOR THE RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

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

AZU CRABBE, OLLENNU AND APALOO JJ.A.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF AZU CRABBE J.A.<o:p></o:p>The
proceedings in this case were commenced with an application ex parte filed by
the plaintiffs in the High Court, Sekondi, for conditional grant of letters of
administration to them jointly in respect of the estate of Joseph Annu—Essuman,
deceased, who died at Elmina on 18 June 1960. The application was granted on 22
May 1961, but on 1 June 1961, a caveat was entered by the defendant, who
claimed to be the widow of the late Joseph Annu — Essuman, opposing the grant
of letters of administration to the plaintiffs. On 10 November 1961, the
plaintiffs filed a motion on notice praying for an order granting to them
jointly letters of administration and in their affidavit accompanying the
motion paper they disputed that the caveatrix, the defendant, had any interest
whatsoever, either by native customary law or under English law, in the estate
of the late Joseph Annu-Essuman. These proceedings were before Charles J. and
were headed as follows:<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">“Re
estate of Joseph Annu-Essuman (deceased); Anna Winifred Annu-Essuman and Kweku
Essuman (applicants) Motion on notice for an order granting to them jointly
letters of administration.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On 18
December 1961, Charles J. ordered the applicants to issue a writ of summons
against the caveatrix for the purpose of determining the issue as to who was
entitled to the grant of letters of administration.<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiffs therefore issued a writ claiming against the defendant,<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">“a
declaration that the first plaintiff, who is a surviving issue of a marriage
contracted by the late J. A. Essuman under the Marriage Ordinance and the
second plaintiff who is a brother and the person validly appointed under native
custom to be the successor of the said J. A. Essuman deceased, are the proper
persons entitled to a grant of letters of administration in respect of the
estate of the said J. A, Essuman deceased in preference to the caveatrix Anna
Teschmaker.”<o:p></o:p>In a
statement of claim filed on behalf of the plaintiffs the following averments
were made:<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) The
first plaintiff is one of the surviving issues of a marriage contracted by the
said J. A. Essuman under the Marriage Ordinance in his lifetime. <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
second plaintiff is a brother to the deceased J. A. Essuman and the person who
has been validly appointed to be the customary successor of the late J. A.
Essuman. <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) It
was agreed between the head and the principal members of the family of the late
J. A. Essuman acting on one hand and the surviving legitimate children of the
intestate acting on the other hand, that the first and the second plaintiffs
should apply to the Sekondi High Court for a joint grant of letters of
administration to administer the estate of the said J. A. Essuman, deceased.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It is
clear from the pleadings of the plaintiffs that they were acting jointly on
behalf of the family and one of the surviving legitimate children of the
deceased. The defendant did not seek to controvert these facts as alleged, but
rather averred as follows:<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
defendant is the widow of Joseph Annu-Essuman late of Sekondi, decea</main>