MERCY ANSONG vs. FRANCIS KWADWO FRIMPONG [2006]DLCA6511

Date	2006-03-17
Suit No.	H1/147/05
Citation No.	[2006]DLCA6511

OWUSU-ANSAH J.A.[PRESIDING]

ABBAN J.A.

DOTSE J.A

MR. AURELIUS AWUKU FOR THE PETITIONER/RESPONDENT

MR. HAYIBOR DJARBEN FOR THE RESPONDENT/APPELLANT

[2006]DLCA6511
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MERCY ANSONG<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/ APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>FRANCIS
KWADWO FRIMPONG<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/
RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">H1/147/05&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 17TH MARCH, 2006<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">MR. AURELIUS AWUKU FOR THE
PETITIONER/RESPONDENT <o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
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THE RESPONDENT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
115%;mso-outline-level:1;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">OWUSU-ANSAH
J.A.[PRESIDING], ABBAN J.A., DOTSE J.A.<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;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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</div>OWUSU-ANSAH,
J.A. <o:p></o:p>The
basic issue for determination in this appeal is: whether or not the learned
trial judge was right in ordering <o:p></o:p>[a]
that the Petitioner be entitled to a joint interest with the husband and shall
have ½ of the Matrimonial home. <o:p></o:p>[b]
And that House no. A. 135/21, SSNIT Flat Dansoman, Accra be valued by Lands
valuation Board and the half interest of the Petitioner be bought out by the
Respondent or vice versa; and <o:p></o:p>[c]
that the Respondent be ordered to make a lump sum payment of ¢20 million
[Twenty Million Cedis] to the Petitioner. <o:p></o:p>The
Petitioner was married customarily to the Respondent at Abetifi, Kwahu, in
March 1974. After the celebration of the said marriage the parties co-habited
at Nkawkaw and later moved to Accra in 1984. <o:p></o:p>The
marriage floundered. And on the 19th June, 2001, the Petitioner filed a Divorce
Petition praying the court for the following reliefs. <o:p></o:p>[a]
Dissolution of the marriage between the parties; <o:p></o:p>[b]
Settlement of the matrimonial house which the Petitioner alleged she helped in
erecting <o:p></o:p>[c]
Payment of alimony pending suit. <o:p></o:p>[d]
The Respondent be condemned in the costs of this Petition. <o:p></o:p>The
Respondent in his answer to the Petition agreed to the dissolution of the
marriage. The court after satisfying itself of the facts and supporting evidence
that the marriage be dissolved as having broken down beyond reconciliation,
duly dissolved the marriage on the 23rd day of November 2002 and set down
relief [b] for determination. <o:p></o:p>The
court also ordered the Respondent to pay monthly maintenance of ¢250.000.00 to
the Petitioner in respect of relief [c] <o:p></o:p>Relief
[b] which the court set down for trial states as follows:- <o:p></o:p>"that
the matrimonial house which the Petitioner helped in erecting be settled on the
Petitioner". <o:p></o:p>The
Petitioner called 3 witnesses PW 1, PW2 and PW3 in support of her claim.
Likewise the Respondent also called 3 witnesses DW1, DW2 and DW3 to testify on
his behalf. <o:p></o:p>On
the basis that the court was satisfied that the Petitioner had made substantial
contribution towards the acquisition of the matrimonial home and by virtue of
section 20[1] of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1971 [Act 367] and taking into
consideration the totality of the evidence on record the court ordered as
follows:- <o:p></o:p>