NANA AMA AMPONSAH vs. FRANKLYN AMOAH NYAMAAH [2009]DLSC6423

Date	2009-02-11
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/10/2008
Citation No.	[2009]DLSC6423

WOOD (MRS) C J (PRESIDING)

BROBBEY J.S.C

ANSAH J.S.C

ANIN -YEBOAH J.S.C

BAFFOE BONNIE J.S.C

K. A. ASANTE-KROBEA FOR THE APPELLANT

SEN KWADWO KODUAH FOR THE RESPONDENT

[2009]DLSC6423
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >NANA AMA AMPONSAH <o:p></o:p>(PETITIONER/APPELLANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>FRANKLYN AMOAH NYAMAAH <o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><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;
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">CIVIL APPEAL NO.
J4/10/2008&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: 11TH FEBRUARY, 2009<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>K. A. ASANTE-KROBEA FOR THE
APPELLANT <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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HANSEN KWADWO KODUAH FOR THE
RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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WOOD (MRS), C J (PRESIDING) BROBBEY,
J.S.C ANSAH, J.S.C ANIN -YEBOAH, J.S.C AND BAFFOE BONNIE, 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;
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JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>BAFFOE-BONNIE
J.S.C. <o:p></o:p>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>On
the 4th 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>“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>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>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>a.
That the Custody of the four children be given to the Respondent with the
Appellant having reasonable access to them. <o:p></o:p>b.
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>c.
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>The
High Court Judge did not make any order for the payment of alimony to the
Respondent as she claimed and asked both parties to bear the costs of their
action. Surprisingly, the High Court judge made an order on a property, Hse
number Plot 38 block B situated at Afiasiebon which was not a claim sought for
by either the Appellant or Respondent. <o:p></o:p>The
Respondent, not satisfied with the judgment of the High Court, appealed to the
Court of Appeal against some of the orders made by the judge. One of such
grounds of appeal which is the subject matter of this action at the Supreme
Court was that; <o:p></o:p>“The trial judge erred when she held
that H/No. Plot 15 Block ‘B’ more particularly situated at Odeneho Kwadaso,
Kumasi was not the self acquired property of the Respondent and the Appellant
when there are substantially overwhelming documentary evidence on record,
irresistibly supporting the fact that Plot No. 15 Block “B”, Odeneho Kwadaso
was acquired by the Respondent.” <o:p></o:p>The
Respondent also appealed against the order of the High Court refusal to grant
alimony. She also added that the trial judge erred when she held that the
property situate at Afasiebon, Ashanti was jointly acquired by the parties. <o:p></o:p>The
Court of Appeal unanimously allowed the appeal of the Respondent. The Court of
Appeal held that the House Number Plot 15 Block “b” Odeneho Kwadaso, Kumasi,
being the matrimonial home should be partitioned into two and shared amongst
the Appellant and the Respondent. The court further held that House Number Plot
38 Block “A”, Atwima Afiasiebon is the property of Maame Ama Amponfi, the
mother of Respondent and cannot be held as the matrimonial home. Custody of the
four children was given to the Respondent as well as twenty million Cedis lump
sum. It is this judgment that the Appellant is seeking to reverse. <o:p></o:p>The
Appellant’s grounds of appeal relate to the order of the Court of Appeal on the
houses in dispute namely House Numbered Plot 15 Block “B” Odeneho Kwadaso,
Kumasi (the Odeneho Kwadaso house) and House Numbered Plot 38 Block “A”, Atwima</main>