ANIM-ADDO AND OTHERS vs. MENSAH AND OTHERS [1989]DLHC1970

Date	1989-10-31
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1989]DLHC1970

BROBBEY J.

E. D. KOM FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.

A. B. CHINEBUAH FOR THE DEFENDANTS.

[1989]DLHC1970
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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:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">ANIM-ADDO AND OTHERS<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:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">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:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">MENSAH AND OTHERS<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1992] 2 GLR 44<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">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:right;
mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">Date: 31
OCTOBER 1989<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>E. D. KOM FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.<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">

A. B. CHINEBUAH FOR THE DEFENDANTS.<o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGMENT OF BROBBEY J.<o:p></o:p>The facts which gave rise to this dispute are relatively
straightforward and are as follows: Patrick Kwaku Anim-Addo (hereinafter
referred to as the testator) who died on 5 February 1988 left a will dated 5
September 1987. In the will, he made, inter alia, the following bequests:<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 appoint Mrs. Addae Mensah alias Nana Abena Biama as one of the
executors to administer my interest in the company of Ghana Textile
Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and to pay the benefits and profits to Abena Asantewa my
niece in her lifetime and after her death should pass on to the descendants of
her children. I give and bequeath all my trinkets (gold) to my niece Abena
Asantewa and after her death to pass on to her descendants. <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 appoint Yaw Asirifi and Gideon Nyarku to run Kwanin Trading Co.
Ltd. as directors and to administer the company and to invest the benefits and
profits to the descendants of Abena Asantewa. I devise and bequeath the residue
of my real estate to my trustees upon trust as follows: As to houses, to
collect rents and after paying annual rates, taxes, etc. to invest the net
rents in government bonds, and as to personal estate upon trust to call in and
convert into money and if need arises and to invest for the benefit of the
descendants of Abena Asantewa. <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 direct that any property of mine including investments which has
been left out and not mentioned under this will including lands should pass on
to Abena Asantewa and after her death should pass on to her descendants.”<o:p></o:p>(The emphasis is mine.)<o:p></o:p>It is the case of the plaintiffs who are the children of the
testator that the dispositions “to the descendants of Abena Asantewa” sin
against the perpetuities rule as the descendants of Abena Asantewa born 21
years from the testator’s death or born after the death of all those living at
the death of the testator would benefit. Secondly, the plaintiffs contend that
as a class gift, the dispositions are null and void for uncertainty of the
number of the class which would benefit under the bequests. Thirdly, the
plaintiffs argue that the bequests are void because they are against the rule
on accumulations. Fourthly, the plaintiffs maintain that the bequests are void
as they are against the rule on inalienability.<o:p></o:p>On those premises, the plaintiffs contend that if the bequests are
void, the testator died intestate and therefore the testator’s properties, as
far as the plaintiffs’ children are concerned, should be distributed in
accordance with the provisions of the Intestate Succession Law, 1985
(P.N.D.C.L. 111). Consequently, the plaintiffs by their writ claim:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.75in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo4;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
an order of injunction
restraining the first four defendants from granting vesting assents in respect
of the properties complained of;<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.75in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo4;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
a declaration that the
bequests are null and void; and<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
5.0pt;margin-left:.75in;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in;
mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo4;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">(iii)