AMISSAH-ABADOO vs. ABADOO [1973]DLHC2253

Date	1973-11-12
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1973]DLHC2253

EDWARD WIREDU J.

J. B. SHORT FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

DR. W. C. EKOW DANIELS FOR THE DEFENDANT.

[1973]DLHC2253
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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:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">AMISSAH-ABADOO<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:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">&nbsp;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:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">ABADOO <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, CAPE
COAST]<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;[1974] GLR 110<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:
12 NOVEMBER 1973.<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">

J. B.
SHORT FOR THE PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p>

DR. W. C.
EKOW DANIELS 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 windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

EDWARD WIREDU J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF EDWARD WIREDU J.<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiff in this action is the younger brother, customary successor and the
head of the immediate family of the late lawyer Abadoo of Cape Coast and the
defendant is his lawful widow. The controversy between them is about the
ownership of house No. G8/2, Tantri Lane, Cape Coast, and a plot of land
situate at Kotokuraba also in Cape Coast.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
declaration sought by the plaintiff in his capacity as the head of the late
Abadoo’s family reads 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">“A
declaration that house No. G8/2, Tantri Lane, Cape Coast, as well as a plot of
land at Kotokuraba Road, Cape Coast. are the property of the plaintiff’s family
and not the private property of the late barrister D. Myles Abadoo.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The defendant
for her part by her counterclaim claims a declaration:<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) That
house No. G8/2, Tantri Lane, Cape Coast, as well as the plot at Kotokuraba
Road, Cape Coast, were acquired by the individual effort and individual means
of the late barrister Abadoo and as such [are] the self-acquired property of
the late barrister Abadoo, his heirs and successors and not the property of the
plaintiff’s family. <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) That
the defendant and her children of the marriage between her and the late
barrister Abadoo are entitled to remain in the said house No. G8/2, Tantri
Lane, Cape Coast.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It is not
in dispute that during the lifetime of the late lawyer Abadoo he lived in the
disputed house exclusively with the defendant and their children. The events
which seemed to have provoked the institution of the plaintiff’s action are
that by an instrument dated 19 December 1964 and described as the last will and
testament of lawyer Abadoo, which instrument was by consent admitted in this
proceeding as exhibit 1 the two disputed properties were devised 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">“(a) I
devise my house No. G8/2 situate at Tantri Lane, Cape Coast, which was built
solely by me during the lifetime of the parents in 1929-1930, without any
assistance financially or otherwise from any member of the family upon the
earnest request of the parents in order to prevent the erosion of the land on
the western side of Ebenezer Hill house No. G9/2 due to rainfall to my dear
wife Chrissie Millie Abadoo and my three sons, namely, Josiah Myles Abadoo,
Daniel Myles Abadoo, Junior, and John David Ekum Abadoo all of Cape Coast
together with all the furniture, pictures, bedsteads and things therein, to
hold, possess and enjoy the same absolutely as tenants in common. Also to my
said wife and her children, I devise my house No. E30/2 situate at Elmina Road,
Cape Coast, for their absolute use and to hold, possess and enjoy the same as
tenants in common . . .<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">(i) I
devise my land situate at Kotokur</main>