DR. JOHN R. KELLS AND JOSEPH K. WHAJA vs. DR. E. AKO ADJEI AND 3 OTHER [2001]DLSC6157

Date	2001-10-24
Suit No.	CA NO. 8/2000
Citation No.	[2001]DLSC6157

MRS. J. BAMFORD-ADDO J.S.C. (PRESIDING)

AMPIAH J.S.C.

ADJABENG J.S.C. ACQUAH J.S.C.

ATUGUBA J.S.C.

[2001]DLSC6157
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DR. JOHN R.
KELLS AND JOSEPH K. WHAJA<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>DR. E. AKO ADJEI AND 3 OTHER<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS/APPELLANTS)<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">

[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">CA NO. 8/2000&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 24TH
OCTOBER, 2001<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">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
115%;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">MRS.
J. BAMFORD-ADDO J.S.C. (PRESIDING), AMPIAH J.S.C., ADJABENG J.S.C. ACQUAH
J.S.C., ATUGUBA J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</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="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>ACQUAH,
J.S.C:<o:p></o:p>Dr.
John Ackah Blay-Miezah, traditionally known as Nana Ackah Nyanzu 11, Gyasehene
of Benin in the Western Region of Ghana, during his lifetime comported himself
and lead such a lifestyle as to make the public believe that he was one of the
richest, if not the richest, person then in Ghana. He died in Accra in 1992
leaving behind an estate alleged to value about forty two billion US dollars
(US$42,000,000,000). As to whether he did indeed have all that much is another
matter. However in one of his Wills dated 8th May 1988, he made total cash
bequests of over eighty million US dollars (US$80,000,000) to about fifty named
beneficiaries. It is in respect of this estate that one Dr. John Robert Kells,
a teacher in Chinese exercise and meditation in London, sought a declaration at
an Accra High Court that a Will produced by him and claiming to have been made
by the late Dr. Blay-Miezah on 29th January 1989 was valid. The said Will named
this Dr. Kells as the sole executor and sole beneficiary of the entire estate
of Dr. Blay-Miezah. The family and close members of the deceased emphatically
denied the validity of this Will. They alleged it was a forgery. The High Court
(Mrs. Sawyer-Williams. J) on 20th May 1997 gave judgment for Dr. Kells declaring
the Will valid. The Court of Appeal on 18th November 1999 by a majority of 2:1
confirmed that decision. It is from this decision that the instant appeal is
launched. But first, the events that lead to the institution of the action. <o:p></o:p>Dr.
John Ackah Blay-Miezah died at Abelemkpe in Accra on 30th June 1992 leaving
behind a wife and fourteen children, including minors. After his burial, it
came to the knowledge of this family that he had left behind a Will deposited
in some banks in Switzerland. The family therefore decided that his widow, Mrs.
Joyce Blay-Miezah and the head of the family, Nana Asemda should apply for
Letters of Administration (L/A) to enable them retrieve this Will from
Switzerland. An application for L/A was accordingly filed at the Accra High
Court and granted to Mrs. Joyce Blay-Miezah and Nana Asemda on 22nd January
1993. <o:p></o:p>Subsequently,
Mr. Adumuah-Bossman applied on behalf of Dr. John Robert Kells and the same
Nana Asemda, for probate in respect of a Will allegedly made by Dr. Blay-Miezah
on 29th January 1989 (the 1989 Will). Once the L/A in respect of the same
estate was subsisting, the application for probate was naturally refused. <o:p></o:p>In
due course, a copy of the Will deposited in Switzerland, had been obtained and
deposited at the Accra High Court. It is dated 8th May 1988 and would
hereinafter be referred to as the 1988 Will. Dr. Ako Adjei and Francis K.
Mensah sought an application for probate of this Will, but it was caveated. <o:p></o:p>In
the interim, a second application for probate of the 1989 Will was made by Dr.
John Kells and Joseph Whaja. Francis K. Mensah, Nana Asemda, Roxana Kim
Blay-Miezah and Francis Kolorah Blay-Miezah lodged caveats to this application.
The last two being the eldest female and male children of the late Dr. Blay-Miezah.
All the four caveators contended that the 1989 Will was a forgery. <o:p></o:p>The
Chief Justice transferred all applications on the estate of the late Dr.
Blay-Miezah to the court of Mrs. Akoto-Bamfo J, as she then was, who in her
ruling on 28th October 1994, ordered: <o:p></o:p>"that
the executors of the 1989 Will do issue a Writ within 14 days asking the Court
to pronounce on the validity of the said Will." <o:p></o:p>Consequently
the applicants for probate of the 1989 Will, Dr. John Kells and Joseph Whajah
issued the Writ in this appeal, against Dr. Ako Adjei and Francis K. Mensah,
the applicants for probate of the 1988 Will, claiming: <o:p></o:p>1.
A declaration that the Will dated 29th January 1989 of Dr. John Ackah
Blay-Miezah deceased, of </main>