DR. KWAME APPIAH POKU AND OTHERS vs. KOJO NSAFOA POKU AND OTHERS [2010]DLSC2574

Date	2010-05-26
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/6/2010
Citation No.	[2010]DLSC2574

ATUGUBA JSC (PRESIDING)

AKUFFO (MS) JSC

BROBBEY JSC

ANSAH JSC

GBADEGBE JSC

NENE AMEGATCHER SAM OKUDZETO & ASSOCIATES FOR THE PLAINTIFFS /RESPONDENTS /APPELLANTS.

DR. W. C. EKOW DANIELS JAN CHAMBERS FOR THE DEFENDANTS /APPELLANTS /RESPONDENTS.

[2010]DLSC2574
																																						<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. KWAME APPIAH POKU
AND OTHERS<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>KOJO NSAFOA POKU AND
OTHERS<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<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">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/6/2010&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE:
26TH MAY, 2010<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>NENE AMEGATCHER, SAM
OKUDZETO &amp; ASSOCIATES FOR THE PLAINTIFFS /RESPONDENTS /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">

DR.
W. C. EKOW DANIELS, JAN CHAMBERS FOR THE DEFENDANTS /APPELLANTS /RESPONDENTS.<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">

ATUGUBA
JSC (PRESIDING), AKUFFO (MS) JSC, BROBBEY JSC, ANSAH JSC, GBADEGBE &nbsp;JSC<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="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;line-height:150%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>ATUGUBA, JSC:-<o:p></o:p>On
29/4/2010 we unanimously dismissed the appeal in this case but reserved
reasons.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>We
now proceed to give them.<o:p></o:p>Facts of the case<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
late Francis Kojo Poku a well known industrialist by his last will and
testament dated 11th October 2001 appointed the Appellants as
executors of his will.&nbsp; The executors
then applied and were granted probate on 11th February 2003 by the
High Court, Kumasi.&nbsp; The Respondents
herein then Plaintiffs in Suit No. CS 107/03 issued a writ in the&nbsp; High Court Kumasi against the Appellants then
Defendants claiming, inter alia, a declaration that the grant of probate of the
will of the late Francis Kojo Poku to the executors was null and void and ought
to be revoked.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
High Court subsequently on 19th October 2004 gave judgment for the
Plaintiffs in the said suit No. CS107/03 declaring that the will of the late
Francis Kojo Poku was null and void in that the testator was blind and
therefore could not have executed the will allegedly ascribed to him.<o:p></o:p>In
arriving at its decision, it is alleged, the High Court had relied, inter alia,
on the evidence of one Dr. Kenneth Asubonteng (PW4) the 7th
Respondent herein.&nbsp; This is what the High
Court allegedly said:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“PW4’s
evidence coupled with the various instances the Plaintiffs gave in their
evidence as constituting facts of their father’s blindness I find to be
sufficient proof that the late Mr. F.K. Poku as at&nbsp; October 11th 2001 was blind.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Subsequently
the plaintiffs/appellants alleged that they had come by legally verifiable
information which showed clearly that the evidence of Dr. Kenneth Asubonteng
(PW4) in Suit No. CS 107/03 was fraudulent and the records and documents he had
presented at the trial were complete fabrications. &nbsp;That Dr. Kenneth
Asubonteng’s evidence was false and its sole purpose was calculated to deceive
the court, and in fact did succeed in misleading the court to arrive at its
decision of 19th October 2004.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
Plaintiffs/Appellants thereupon sued in the High Court Kumasi, claiming, inter
alia, <o:p></o:p>“(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Declaration that the judgment of the
Kumasi High Court dated 19th October 2004 in Suit No. CS107/03
delivered by Her Lordship Mrs. A. Dordzie in favour of the Defendants herein, was obtained by fraud and therefore the same
ought to be set aside.”<o:p></o:p>The
Respondents herein unsuccessfully applied to the trial court to stay the said
proceedings.&nbsp; On appeal the Court of
Appeal allowed the same and dismissed the said action “as frivolous and vexatious.”&nbsp;
The appellants have appealed to this court.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&n</main>