KWAKO vs. TAWIAH [2001]DLSC1206

Date	2001-12-12
Suit No.
Citation No.	[2001]DLSC1206

BAMFORD-ADDO JSC

AMPIAH JSC

KPEGAH JSC

LAM PTEY JSC

ADZOE JSC

VICTOR AGUDETSE FOR THE APPELLANT.

YIADOM BOAKYE FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[2001]DLSC1206
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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">KWAKO<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">TAWIAH<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[2001-2002]
1 GLR 339<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: 12 DECEMBER 2001<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>VICTOR
AGUDETSE FOR THE APPELLANT.<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">

YIADOM
BOAKYE FOR THE RESPONDENT. <o:p></o:p>

BAMFORD-ADDO,
AMPIAH, KPEGAH, LAM PTEY AND ADZOE JJSC<o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>ADZOE JSC. <o:p></o:p>Delivered
the first judgment at the invitation of Bamford-Addo JSC. Isaac Ottie alias
Agya Atta died on 10 August 1982. He hailed from Kenkase, Kwabre No 3 in
Ashanti. He left behind a will dated 26 January 1982. In the will he devised
houses and farms to his wife, children and other persons. Among the devisees
was one Kwadwo Kwako, the appellant herein. The testator in cluase (7) of his
will devised six rooms in house No 54, Block 12 to the appellant. Then in
clause (13) of the will the testator declared that: “Kwadwo Kwako is to inherit
me on my death and all the properties which I have not devised must go to him.”<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiff-respondent (hereinafter referred to as the respondent) did not
receive any gift under the will. On 7 February 1991 the respondent describing
himself as:<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">“One
of the principal members of the Bretuo family or clan of Kenkase-Ashanti and a
beneficiary under the late Isaac Ottie’s said will and who claims to be
interested in the residuary estate of the said Isaac Ottie.”<o:p></o:p>(deceased)
took out an originating summons at the High Court, Kumasi asking for an
interpretation of clause (13) of the will, quoted above. In his opinion, the
devise to the appellant in clause (13) of the will was made to him in his
capacity as customary successor and therefore the appellant must be deemed to
take such properties in trust for his immediate family. The question he posed
for determination is 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">“Whether
or not having regard to the devises in the last will of Isaac Ottie alias Agya
Atta (Decd) dated 26 January 1982, more particularly the devises made in
clauses (7) and (13) of the said will, the late testator Isaac Ottie by clause
(13) of the said will devised his residual estate to Kwadwo Kwako personally
forever or the devise was made to Kwadwo Kwako in his capacity as the customary
successor who is to hold the properties in trust for his immediate family.”<o:p></o:p>The
respondent contended that the deceased made the devise in clause (13) to the
appellant in his capacity as the deceased’s customary successor because the
deceased knew that the appellant would be his customary successor. The
respondent alleged that before the deceased died he pleaded with the elders of
the Bretuo family that he wished the appellant to be his customary successor
and when the family discovered later on that this wish was “repeated in the
last will of the deceased”, the family honoured it and accordingly appointed
the appellant as the testator’s customary successor.<o:p></o:p>