NORGA AND OTHERS vs. KHADIJATU AND OTHERS [1985]DLCA948

Date	1985-12-10
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1985]DLCA948

ADADE J.S.C.

OSEI-HWERE J.A

AMPIAH J.

W.A.N. ADUMUA-BOSSMAN FOR THE PLAINTIFFS-APPELLANTS.

NII ODOI ANNAN (WITH HIM G. A. MENSAH) FOR THE DEFENDANT-RESPONDENTS

[1985]DLCA948
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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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NORGA AND OTHERS<o:p></o:p>

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

[1984-86] 1 GLR 443<o:p></o:p>

DATE:
10 DECEMBER 1985<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">

W.A.N.
ADUMUA-BOSSMAN FOR THE PLAINTIFFS-APPELLANTS. <o:p></o:p>

NII
ODOI ANNAN (WITH HIM G. A. MENSAH) FOR THE DEFENDANT-RESPONDENTS<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 J.S.C., OSEI-HWERE J.A. AND AMPIAH J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF AMPIAH J.<o:p></o:p>Ampiah J.
delivered the judgment of the court. By a document dated 11 October 1967
purporting to be the will of one Alhaji Norga of Cow Lane, Accra, the testator
disposed of his properties to some named beneficiaries. On 7 November 1967 the
said testator is alleged to have made further dispositions of his properties to
other persons by a document purporting to be his codicil. Alhaji Norga, the
testator, died on 16 May 1973. On 30 July 1973 two of the named executors of
both the alleged will and codicil obtained probate of those documents.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
plaintiff-appellants (hereinafter referred to as the appellants) who are the
children of the late Alhaji Norga disputed the will and codicil of their father.
Accordingly, on 12 November 1979 they took out a writ of summons against the
defendants-respondents (hereinafter referred to as the respondents) claiming:<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. A
declaration that the will dated 11 October 1967 of Alhaji Norga, deceased, late
of Accra, probate of which was granted by the High Court, Accra to the
defendants on 30 July 1973, is null and void as not having been duly
interpreted to the said deceased who was illiterate in English. <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. A
declaration that the purported first codicil dated 7 November 1967 to the said
will is likewise null and void for the reasons aforesaid. <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. In the
alternative, a declaration that the said will and codicil were each procured by
undue influence on the part of the first defendant and are accordingly null and
void. <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">4. Further
or other relief(s) as in the circumstances may be just, including all necessary
enquiries and accounts.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The first
respondent is also a child of the late Alhaji Norga. The second and third
respondents are the executors of the disputed will.<o:p></o:p>On 29th
October 1981, the appellants applied for and obtained leave of the court to
amend their statement of claim. By that amendment, the appellants alleged
further:<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">“8 (a)
Again further or in the alternative the will is null and void by reason that it
was not duly attested in the presence of the witnesses present at the same time
who in the presence of the testator and of each other signed the will as
witnesses thereof.”<o:p></o:p>On the
pleadings and evidence the issues that arose for determination were in our opinion:<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. Whether or not the testator as
a moslem had capacity to depart from the family provision disposition laid down
by the Koran.<o:p></o:p>