NEEQUAYE AND ANOTHER vs. OKOE [1990]DLHC764

Date	1990-03-02
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1990]DLHC764

LUTTERODT J

W A N ADUMUA-BOSSMAN FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.

THE DEFENDANT IN PERSON

[1990]DLHC764
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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">NEEQUAYE AND ANOTHER<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">OKOE<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1993-94] 1 GLR 538<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: 2 MARCH
1990<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>W A N ADUMUA-BOSSMAN 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">

THE DEFENDANT IN PERSON<o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGMENT OF LUTTERODT J.<o:p></o:p>The death of Dr Christian Robinson Neequaye on 7 January 1990 has
brought about an unprecedented legal battle between the widow and children on
the one hand, and his paternal family headed by Mr Ashalley Okoe on the other.
The main controversy between these two is who must determine (a) the venue for
laying him in state for the usual wake-keeping to be held; and finally (b) the
cemetery in which his mortal remains are to be laid to rest.<o:p></o:p>On 12 February 1990 the widow, Mrs Dorothy Neequaye, and the
eldest daughter, Bridget Neequaye, on behalf of themselves and her other
children, naturally by the deceased, caused her solicitors to issue a writ
against the said Ashalley Okoe for a number of declaratory reliefs:<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 lfo3;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(1). “That they are the legitimate
wife and children of the deceased. <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 lfo3;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(2). A declaration that the
plaintiffs have the responsibility to bury their late husband and father or in
the alternative a declaration that the plaintiffs must have a say in the
funeral arrangements of their father. <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 lfo3;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(3). A declaration that the
deceased must be laid in state at his home at Kanda. <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 lfo3;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(4). A declaration that the
deceased must be buried at the Osu cemetery. <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 lfo3;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">(5).
A declaration that the deceased must be accorded the full
attention of a Freemason.<o:p></o:p>Obviously, the defendant did not know of the issuance of this
writ, otherwise he would probably have waited to be served and then
counterclaimed for the reliefs he also has requested this court to grant in his
favour in suit No 305/90. And therefore our High Court registry on 14 February
1990 received another writ on the same subject matter, issued this time by
Ashalley Okoe against Mrs Dorothy Neequaye and the then Mayor or Accra, E T
Mensah. He also prayed for the following declaratory reliefs:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.5in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;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">(a).
That the fa</main>