IN RE SACKEY (DECD.); ANSABA AND ANOTHER vs. MBEAH AND ANOTHER [1992]DLHC2032

Date	1992-04-30
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1992]DLHC2032

BENIN J.

G. ADDINGTON FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.

E. B. ODRO FOR THE DEFENDANTS.

[1992]DLHC2032
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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">IN RE SACKEY (DECD.); ANSABA 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">MBEAH AND ANOTHER<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, CAPE COAST]<o:p></o:p>[1992] 1 GLR 214<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: 30 APRIL
1992<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>G. ADDINGTON 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">

E. B. ODRO FOR THE DEFENDANTS.
<o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGMENT OF BENIN J.<o:p></o:p>The deceased, Amos Ekow Sackey died on 11 March 1981 and was
survived by a wife, the first plaintiff herein, and nine or ten children, eight
of whom he had by the first plaintiff. The second defendant was appointed the
deceased’s customary successor. The first defendant belongs to the deceased’s
Twidan family and the second plaintiff is one of the children the deceased had
by the first plaintiff.<o:p></o:p>By their amended writ of summons the plaintiffs claimed the
following reliefs against the defendants:<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:l1 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(a).&nbsp; “An order of this honourable
court setting aside the order for the grant of letters of administration to the
defendants herein on 9 November 1981 on the basis of fraud.<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:l1 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(b).&nbsp; An order that the distribution
of the estate of Amos Ekow Sackey (deceased) is caught by the Intestate Succession
Law, 1985 (P.N.D.C.L. 111). <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:l1 level1 lfo1;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">(c).&nbsp;
An order of the High Court setting aside the order for the grant
of letters of administration on the ground that Amos Ekow Sackey died testate.”<o:p></o:p>If the deceased died testate, then by virtue of sections 1 and 2
of P.N.D.C.L. 111 the distribution of the estate of the deceased cannot be
regulated by that Law, except for any residuary estate not covered by the will.
It appears then that relief (b) is otiose, or may be it was put there ex
abundantia cautela as an alternative relief to relief (c). But it must be
pointed out that where claims are in the alternative both cannot be granted at
the same time: see holding (2) of Darkwa v. Kwabena [1965] G.L.R. 299, S.C.
This rule is particularly applicable to this case because either the deceased
died testate or intestate; if he died testate his last will and testament will
prevail; if he died intestate then the customary law or P.N.D.C.L. 111 will
prevail, whichever is applicable. Hence reliefs (b) and (c) will be considered in
the alternative.<o:p></o:p>I shall take relief (a) first. The plaintiffs’ case was that the
second defendant as the customary successor to the deceased used fraudulent
means to obtain letters of administration on 9 November 1981. The particulars
of fraud pleaded were as follows:<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">(i).&nbsp;&nbsp; “The first defendant swore to
the affidavit in support of the application for letters of administration on 30
November 1981 and parading as the ebusuapanyin of the Twidan family which is
false. <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">(ii).