[2009]DLSC5494 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#00B0F0">NANA AMA AMPONSAH<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">(PETITIONER/APPELLANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#00B0F0">FRANKLYN AMOAH NYAMAAH<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">(RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="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"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/10/2008 11<sup>TH</sup> FEBRUARY, 2009<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">K. A. ASANTE-KROBEA FOR THE APPELLANT<o:p></o:p></span></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;text-align: justify;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in; mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">HANSEN KWADWO KODUAH FOR THE RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">CORAM: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">WOOD (MRS) C J (PRESIDING), BROBBEY J.S.C, ANSAH J.S.C, ANIN -YEBOAH J.S.C, BAFFOE BONNIE J.S.C<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt; border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;border-right:none; padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">BAFFOE-BONNIE J.S.C:-<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">Nana Ama Amponsah, (Respondent herein), was married to Franklyn Amoah Nyamaah, (Appellant herein) under Akan Customary law in 1991. They have 4 children out of the marriage, 3 girls and a boy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">On the 4<sup>th</sup> day of August 2003, the Respondent filed a petition at the High Court in Kumasi for dissolution of the marriage on the ground that the Appellant had exhibited a behavior of which she cannot be expected to live with him and that the appellant has caused her much anxiety, distress and embarrassment. Per the Respondent’s amended petition she claimed inter alia<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"> “that the House Number Plot 15 Block “B” Odeneho Kwadaso, the matrimonial home be partitioned and the petitioner given her portion”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">The Appellant cross petitioned for one of the two stores at the Central Market being used by the Respondent and custody of the 4 children. I would like to indicate that these were the only reliefs that the cross petition of the Appellant sought and there was no amendment to change or add to this petition.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">The High Court did not have difficulty with the pronouncement that the marriage had broken down beyond reconciliation pursuant to Section 1(2) of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1971, Act 367 as both parties were adamant about the continuance of the marriage. At the end of proceedings the High Court made an order inter alia:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;text-indent: -.25in;line-height:115%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">a.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">That the Custody of the four children be given to the Respondent with the Appellant having reasonable access to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;text-indent: -.25in;line-height:115%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">b.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">That the House Number Plot 15 Block “B” Odeneho Kwadaso did not belong to the couple so it could not be settled on either of the parties.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;text-indent: -.25in;line-height:115%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">c.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">That the Respondent recovers possession of one of the two shops for his own business i.e. Shop Number AN 16.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align:justify;line-height:11