IN RE AWULETEY (DECD.); AWULETEY vs. AWULETEY AND OTHERS [1975]DLHC394

Date	1975-08-01
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1975]DLHC394

ABOAGYE J.

NO APPEARANCE BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE PLAINTIFF.

E. M. A. ABLORH FOR THE DEFENDANTS.

[1975]DLHC394
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >IN RE AWULETEY (DECD.); AWULETEY <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>AWULETEY AND OTHERS<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1976] 1 GLR 21<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:
1 AUGUST 1975.<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">

NO APPEARANCE BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p>

E. M. A. ABLORH FOR THE DEFENDANTS.<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">

ABOAGYE J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF ABOAGYE J.<o:p></o:p>By his
will dated 28 January 1942, Emmanuel James Awuletey of Christiansborg, Accra,
made certain bequests and devises to his son, daughters, nephews and nieces.
Kwabla Numo, a nephew of the testator and one of the beneficiaries under the
will, died on 16 May 1942. The testator died on 13 February 1943, and his will
was proved on 21 April 1943. By paragraph (9) of the will the testator made
certain specific devises to his nieces and nephews including Kwabla Numo. The
said paragraph (9) reads:<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">&nbsp;“I give and devise unto and to the use of my
nephews: Gottfried Sai Numo, Nortey, Norteye, Neeboi, Kwablah Numo and Daniel
Awuletey; and my nieces: Dedei, Mrs. Bessie Curched, Yormoley, Norley, Ayakoh,
Shomeh, Adaku, Norkor, Okarley and Nardufio and their heirs 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">(a) All
that piece or parcel of land with the building and cocoa plantation thereon
situate at Aherenasu near Mangoase in the Akwapim District which land was
purchased by me at a sale by public auction. <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) All
that piece or parcel of land with the village and cocoa plantation thereon
situate at Dodowa near Parkoo in the Akwapim District which land was purchased
by me from Seberew.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>By
paragraph (10) of the will the plaintiff was appointed the residuary legatee.
The said paragraph (10) reads: “I give and bequeath and devise all my real and
personal estate not hereby otherwise disposed of subject to the payment of my
funeral and testamentary expenses and just debts to my son Samuel Neils.”<o:p></o:p>By this
application the plaintiff seeks a declaration of this court that as the
residuary legatee and devisee under the will of the testator he is entitled to
the share of Kwabla Numo on the ground that by predeceasing the testator the
share of Kwabla Numo had lapsed and become a residuary legacy or devise. The
will of Emmanuel James Awuletey was made under the English Wills Act of 1837 (7
Will. 4 &amp; 1 Vict., c. 26), which was applicable to this country at the
material time.<o:p></o:p>The
general rule is that if a beneficiary under a will predeceases the testator any
bequest or devise made to him lapses. There are, however, exceptions to the
general rule one of which is provided under section 32 of the Wills Act, 1837
(7 Will. 4 &amp; 1 Vict., c. 26), which reads:<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">“And be
it further enacted, that where any person to whom any real estate shall be
devised for an estate tail or an estate in quasi entail shall die in the
lifetime of the testator leaving issue who would be inheritable under such
entail, and any such issue shall be living at the time of the death of the
testator, such devise shall not lapse, but shall take effect as if the death of
such person had happened immediately after the death of the testator, unless a
contrary intention shall appear by the Will.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>By the
words “and their heirs” in paragraph (9) of the will the testator created an
entail; Kwabla Numo had a child by name Lately Numo who survived the testator
and who has children of her own. In view of this, the devise made to Kwabla
Numo did not lapse upon his death and the plaintiff is not entitled to the declaration
he seeks. The share of Kwabla Numo is to be enjoyed by his heirs. The
application is refused with ¢60.00 costs.<o:p></o:p>