ABDUL RAHMAN OSUMANU GIWAH AND 2 OTHERS (PLAINTIFFS) vs. BABA LADI (DEFENDANT) [2010]DLHC7424

Date	2010-03-03
Suit No.	SUIT NO. 110/2008.
Citation No.	[2010]DLHC7424

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE PATRICK BAAYEH J.

JOSEPH KAPONDE FOR PLAINTIFFS

SAMUEL OFORI FOR DEFENDANT.

[2010]DLHC7424
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ABDUL RAHMAN
OSUMANU GIWAH AND 2 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>BABA LADI<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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SUIT
NO. 110/2008.&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 3RD MARCH, 2010<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:
<o:p></o:p>JOSEPH
KAPONDE FOR PLAINTIFFS <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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SAMUEL
OFORI FOR DEFENDANT. <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;
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<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">HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE
PATRICK BAAYEH, J.<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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</div>By
plaintiffs' amended writ of summons filed on 12/08/09, plaintiffs claim is for <o:p></o:p>(a)
A declaration that both plaintiffs and defendant are great-grandchildren of
Fatima Suka (deceased) <o:p></o:p>(b)
An order for the parties to jointly take letter of Administration to administer
the estate of Fatima Suka <o:p></o:p>(c)
An order for the distribution of the estate of the late Fatima Suka among
legitimate beneficiaries. <o:p></o:p>(d)
An order to set aside the judgment of the Islamic Judicial Committee. At the
end of pleadings the following issues and additional issues were set down for
determination. <o:p></o:p>(i)
Whether or not the parties share a common parentage and lineage from Fatima
Suka (deceased) <o:p></o:p>(ii)
Whether or not the defendant and plaintiffs are beneficiaries of the estate of
Fatima Suka, Mallam Ibrahim Osumanu Fulani and for that matter Atta Alhassan Giwah,
Osumanu Lobi Giwah and Atta Adamu Giwah. <o:p></o:p>(iii)
Whether or not the houses in dispute belong to the defendant Exclusively. <o:p></o:p>(iv)
Whether or not Adamu Giwah was a mere caretaker of House No. C71/6 or a
beneficiary of the estate <o:p></o:p>(v)
Whether or not defendant's father ever made any claims of ownership to the
houses in dispute. <o:p></o:p>(vi)
Whether or not the reliefs being sought by plaintiffs have already been
adjudicated upon by the office of the National Chief Imam. <o:p></o:p>(vii)
Whether or not the plaintiffs are entitled to their reliefs by tenets of
Islamic Law of Inheritance. <o:p></o:p>First
and second plaintiffs gave evidence for plaintiffs and called three witnesses
while Defendant gave evidence by himself and also called two witnesses. <o:p></o:p>In
his evidence to the court first plaintiff said that 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs
fathers and his father are brothers.He said defendant and plaintiffs are
cousins. He said Fatima Suka is their great-grand mother. That Fatima Suka gave
birth to two children, male and a female by name Mallam Ibrahim Osumanu Fulani
and Ramatu Osumanu Fulani. That Mallam Ibrahim Osumanu Fulani had a child
called Mallam Abubakar Baba Mama the father of defendant whilst Ramatu Osumanu
Fulani gave birth to 3 male children namely Atta Osumanu Lobi Giwah, Atta Adamu
Giwah and Atta Alhassan Giwah the fathers of 1st, 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs
respectively. 1st plaintiff told the court further that Fatima Suka died
leaving three houses, a ten bedroom house at Cow Lane, a ten bedroom house at
Tudu and a 14 bedroom house at Accra New Town. He said originally the New Town
house had 8 bedrooms and Fatima Suka in her life time gave 2 rooms each to his
grandchildren. Mallam Abubakar Baba Mma, Atta Osumanu Lobi Giwah, Atta Adamu
Giwah and Attah Alhassan Giwah (fathers of the parties). <o:p></o:p>He
told the court that while Fatima Suka was alive Atta Adamu Giwah (2nd
plaintiff's father) took care of her houses and on her death in 1954, he
continued to take care of the property until he also died in 1984. <o:p></o:p>