BISI AND OTHERS vs. TABIRI ALIAS ASARE [1984]DLCA895

Date	1984-07-13
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1984]DLCA895

ADADE JSC

EDUSEI JA

MENSA BOISON JA

E D KOM (WITH HIM G KOM) FOR THE DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS.

A A OWUSU (WITH HIM W Y OPPONG) FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT.

[1984]DLCA895
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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BISI AND OTHERS <o:p></o:p>

{COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA} <o:p></o:p>

[1984-86] 2 GLR 282<o:p></o:p>

DATE:
18 JULY 1984<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>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">

E D KOM (WITH HIM G KOM) FOR THE
DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS. <o:p></o:p>

A A OWUSU (WITH HIM W Y OPPONG) FOR THE
PLAINTIFF-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">

ADADE JSC, EDUSEI AND MENSA BOISON JJA<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF ADADE JSC<o:p></o:p>The only
issue in this case is whether house No SW 66, Sunyani is family property or was
the private property of Asare Adjabeng, deceased. The house is at times
described as SW 52 or SW 66. Its identity, however, is not in dispute. The
description therefore is, for our purpose, irrelevant.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Asare
Adjabeng died on 28 July 1979. By his will dated 28 July 1978, proved in court
on 3 December 1979, the said Asare Adjabeng devised the house to the
defendants. The plaintiff, Yaw Kwayie, was a brother of the full blood of Asare
Adjabeng. He brought this action on behalf of the family to set aside the
devise on the ground that the house is family property, and not the private
property of the testator. He was bed-ridden at the time of these proceedings,
so he prosecuted his case through an attorney. Some time later he died, and was
substituted by Opanin Kofi Tabiri alias Francis Adjabeng Asare. The High Court,
Sunyani found for the plaintiff; the defendants have appealed.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>To two
grounds stated in the notice of appeal filed on 25 March 1982, the appellants
(hereafter called the defendants), by counsel, added nine additional grounds on
10 January 1984. These may be regrouped into four main grounds 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) That the plaintiff failed to
prove his case on the facts;<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 in the absence of
evidence of the cost of the house, the trial court was in no position to say
that the plaintiff’s contributions were substantial. The said finding is
erroneous and cannot be supported;<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">(c) That even if the plaintiff
contributed substantially towards building of the house, there was no proof in
law that the parties intended to put up a family house; and<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">(d) That the trial court
substituted a new case for the plaintiff, contrary to and inconsistent with the
one put forward by the plaintiff himself.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In
arriving at the judgment for the plaintiff the High Court made the following
findings of fact:<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 the land on which the
building stands was acquired by the testator;<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 plaintiff Yaw Kwayie
contributed financially and in kind towards the building of the house;<o:p></o:p>