COFIE AND OTHERS vs. FORSON AND OTHERS [1989]DLHC2001

Date	1989-10-31
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1989]DLHC2001

BROBBEY J.

WONTUMI FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.

DADEY FOR THE DEFENDANTS.

[1989]DLHC2001
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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">COFIE 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">FORSON AND OTHERS<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1992] 1 GLR 312<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>WONTUMI 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">

DADEY 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 1.0pt 0in">

</div>JUDGMENT OF BROBBEY J.<o:p></o:p>The plaintiff issued originating summons for the determination of
the following questions.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.75in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(1). “Whether or not the late
Joshua Yaw Atome held house No. C 208 (Type H.S. 35A/5), Dansoman Housing
Estate or the beneficial interest therein on a resulting trust for the late
Ebenezer Atome Cofie in accordance with paragraph (2) of letter dated 5 November
1973 by Joshua Yaw Atome to State Housing Corporation (copy annexed hereto and
marked A). <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.75in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(2). Whether or not the late
Ebenezer Atome Cofie held the said house No. C 208 upon trust for the late
Joshua Yaw Atome or his customary successor and Ebenezer Atome Cofie’s
children, namely Mrs. Sabina Charlotte Apaloo, Mrs. Henrietta Chobis Okyne,
Nathan Cofie, Mrs. Vida Robertson, George Cofie and Mrs. Ellen Dadzie in
accordance with the statutory declaration dated 21 April 1976 (copy annexed
hereto and marked B). <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:-.25in;
mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">(3).
Whether or not the defendants, executors of the will of the late
Ebenezer Atome Cofie (copy of will annexed hereto and marked C), should vest
the said house No. C 208 in the customary successor of the late Joshua Yaw
Atome and the plaintiffs and not in accordance with clause 3 of the will, if
the questions in paragraphs (1) and (2) hereof are answered in the positive.”<o:p></o:p>The facts which gave rise to the dispute are as follows: One E.A.
Cofie (hereinafter called the testator) bought a State Housing Corporation (S.H.C.)
house, type S.H.C. 35A/5 bearing the number C. 208 and situated at Dansoman in
Accra.<o:p></o:p>On 5 November 1973 the nephew of the late Cofie, one Joshua Yaw
Atome, wrote a letter to the S.H.C. to the effect that his uncle bought the
said house for him (the nephew) and the then children of the uncle whom he
named as Sabina Anowah Cofie, Nathan Cofie, Henrietta Amina Cofie, Vida
Yirenkyiwa Cofie, George Cofie and Ellen Karl Cofie. The letter which was
exhibited as exhibit A asked the lease and records on the house to be made in
the names of the nephew and the said children.<o:p></o:p>Exhibit A was written care of the address of the testator at the
Police Headquarters where he was then working. However it is not clear from the
face of exhibit A whether or not the testator himself was aware of the making
and enforcement of exhibit A.<o:p></o:p>Nevertheless, 21 April 1976 saw the making of exhibit B, a
statutory declaration solemnly made by the testator in respect of the same
house. The precise wording of the statutory declaration was 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">“I, Ebenezer Atome Cofie of Accra in the Ga Traditional Area in
the Greater Accra Region of the Republic of Ghana solemnly and sincerely
declare as follows:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:57.75pt;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-21.75pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(1)