AMARTEY vs. SRAHA [1976]DLHC348

Date	1976-04-18
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1976]DLHC348

GRIFFITHS-RANDOLPH J.

ADUMNA-BOSSMAN FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

VIDAL BUCKLE FOR THE DEFENDANT

[1976]DLHC348
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >AMARTEY <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>SRAHA<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1976] 1 GLR 279<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 APRIL 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">

ADUMNA-BOSSMAN FOR THE PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p>

VIDAL BUCKLE 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">

GRIFFITHS-RANDOLPH J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF GRIFFITHS-RANDOLPH J.<o:p></o:p>By an
ordinary writ of summons filed on 3 July 1973, the plaintiff claimed 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">“(1) The
refund of ¢7,814.00 being the aggregate sum expended by her as the customary
agent of necessity of the defendant in the maintenance and education from
September 1965 to September 1972 of their children: <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:1.0in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(a) Grace Amma Agyeman .. .. Born 21
December 1957 <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:1.0in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(b) William Osei Tutu .. .. .. Born 16
December 1958 <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:1.0in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(c) James Love Sraha .. .. .. Born 21
July 1960. <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) An
order varying the order of the High Court, Accra, dated in or about September
1960 providing for the payment of sums by the defendant for maintenance (alone)
of the said children. <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) Such
further or other relief as in the circumstances may be just.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>An
appearance was entered by Vidal Buckle &amp; Co., solicitors, on behalf of the
defendant on 13 July 1973; and a statement of claim was filed by the
plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Adumua-Bossman, on 3 December 1973. As a search
conducted on 8 January 1974 revealed that the statement of claim had been
served on 13 December 1973 but no statement of defence had been filed, a motion
on notice for entry of interlocutory judgment with a supporting affidavit was
filed on 17 January 1974; and six days later the defence was filed, so that on
28 January 1974, the motion was struck out, while the plaintiff was awarded
¢25.00 costs against the defendant. Then on 22 March 1974, the reply was filed,
followed by the filing of a motion on notice for interim payments for the
maintenance of the children with an accompanying affidavit on 21 May 1974; and
the defendant’s affidavit in opposition was filed on 30 May 1974.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>When Mr.
Adumua-Bossman formally moved the court on 30 July 1974, he added that under
our civil law the defendant was under an obligation to maintain and educate his
children; also that the application had been necessitated by the fact that the
children had been sent home from school because their fees had not been paid;
and that in the reply they had given the lie to the defendant’s statement that
he could not afford to pay the fees. Further that the defendant had not
furnished information from which the extent of his other commitments could be
ascertained, because he had merely asserted that he had other children without
stating where they were, etc.; also that the defendant was only “evading his
responsibilities”; and that he was under a duty to meet the educational
expenses of his client’s children: vide Manu v. Kuma [1963] 1 G.L.R. 464, S.C.,
so that “the court should therefore make him pay, if he won’t be persuaded to
pay.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In reply,
Mr. Buckle made the following statements:<o:p></o:p>