IN RE OPOKU (DECD.); GOH vs. DONYINAH AND OTHERS [1973]DLCA2391

Date	1973-12-18
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1973]DLCA2391

APALOO JA

ARCHER JA

ANNAN J.A.

AMPOFO FOR THE APPELLANTS.

DR. AKO ADJEI FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[1973]DLCA2391
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >IN RE OPOKU (DECD.); GOH<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;vs. <o:p></o:p>DONYINAH AND OTHERS <o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL]<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[1973]
1 GLR 273<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

DATE:
18 DECEMBER 1972.<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">

AMPOFO FOR THE APPELLANTS.<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">

APALOO, ARCHER AND ANNAN JJ.A.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF ARCHER J.A.<o:p></o:p>Archer
J.A. delivered the judgment of the court. On the 23 June 1967, the High Court
sitting at Accra granted probate in respect of the will of the late Samuel
Opoku to the three appellants who were named in the will. Subsequently the
respondent who claimed to be the customary successor instituted proceedings to
revoke the probate on the grounds:<o:p></o:p>(1) That
the will was not executed in accordance with the Wills Act, 1837 (7 Will. 4
&amp; 1 Vict., c. 26); and<o:p></o:p>(2) That
the will was obtained by fraud as the deceased did not know or approve of the
contents or alternatively the will was obtained by undue influence exerted by
the appellants at a time when the deceased was seriously ill in hospital.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
respondent therefore prayed the court below to declare the will invalid and to
grant her letters of administration. Lengthy evidence was adduced by the
respondent and some members of her family in an attempt to substantiate the
grounds of her claim. The three appellants and the two witnesses to the will
also gave evidence and explained how the deceased took a piece of paper from
under his pillow at the Agogo hospital and instructed the third appellant to
write down his testamentary wishes. In a lengthy judgment the learned trial
judge held that the will was invalid on the ground that the contents were
written in indirect speech instead of direct speech and although the deceased’s
signature appeared at the bottom, yet there was no evidence that the deceased
intended that document to be his will.<o:p></o:p>The only
legal point worth considering by this court was whether the reasons relied on
by the court below for invalidating the will were tenable at law, and Dr. Ako
Adjei, learned counsel for the respondents, was invited by the court to say
whether he supported the reasoning of the court below. With exemplary candour,
Dr. Ako Adjei conceded that he could not do so. We therefore allowed the appeal
and we now give our reasons.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>What is
this unorthodox will that has generated this litigation? It is very short and
it is quoted below verbatim:<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">“S. K.
Owusu-Ansah, Nkoranza Training College, <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">P.O. Box
28, Nkoranza, <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">B/A.
HOUSE No. C360/11 .. .. £G750 <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">From Mr.
Ofosuhene (Elder brother Mr. Asante). <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">Receipt
given by Mr. Ofosuhene and witnessed by Mr. Ampadu. Receipt prepared by Mr.
Oduro. Brother Opoku instructed that myself, Donyinah I and Donyinah II Akuma
should be executors of his properties to look after the childre</main>