MADAM ADWOA ADUKUMAH AND ANOTHER vs. ANTHONY OPOKU GYAMFI AND TWO OTHERS [2011]DLHC8152

Date	2011-01-25
Suit No.	SUIT NO. E10/66/06
Citation No.	[2011]DLHC8152

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE JACOB B. BOON

PETER K. NTI FOR THE PLAINTIFFS

ASARE BEDIAKO FOR THE DEFENDANTS

[2011]DLHC8152
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MADAM ADWOA ADUKUMAH AND ANOTHER<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ANTHONY OPOKU GYAMFI AND TWO OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT,
KUMASI]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

SUIT
NO. E10/66/06&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: 25TH
JANUARY, 2011<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>PETER
K. NTI FOR THE PLAINTIFFS<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

ASARE
BEDIAKO FOR THE DEFENDANTS<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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HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE JACOB B. BOON<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:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>By their writ of summons issued from the Registry of this
court on 12/6/06, the plaintiffs sought an order of the court to nullify and
cancel an adoption order of 9th September, 2004 granted by Justice
Ansu-Gyeabour when he presided over a Kumasi High Court.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The adoption order was in respect of three infants, two
girls and a boy, who were in the custody and care of the first plaintiff at the
time the order for their adoption was made in favour of first and second defendants.
The plaintiffs also prayed for an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the
defendants from using the adoption order for any purpose whatsoever that may be
detrimental to the welfare and interests of the plaintiffs and the children.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The first plaintiff is the maternal grandmother of the
two infant females affected by the adoption order. Indeed, her deceased
daughter, one Janet Durowaa, is the mother of the girls. Janet Durowaa was the
wife of one Anthony Opoku Gyamfi, deceased, who was the father of the three
children. As a married couple, Janet Durowaa and Anthony Opoku Gyamfi were
resident in Italy where they both perished in a motor accident. The second
plaintiff, on the other hand, is the mother of the male child in the adoption
order. She had the child with late Anthony Opoku Gyamfi, though they were not
formally married. Nevertheless, the boy, named Augustine Opoku Gyamfi, lived
with the first plaintiff as did the two infant girls.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The first two defendants are a married couple. First
defendant is the younger brother of late Anthony Opoku Gyamfi. He is also
resident in Italy, but the second defendant lives in Ghana. At the time of the
adoption order there was no issue to their marriage. The third defendant is the
Director of Social Welfare Department represented by the Ashanti Regional
Director who was to ensure that all relevant procedures were met before consent
is given for the adoption. <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>For a better understanding of the case of the plaintiffs,
I hereby reproduce their pleadings in paragraphs 8 to 18 of the statement of
claim:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“8.
The plaintiffs say that after the death of the couple in Italy the 1st
defendant herein brought the corpses down to Ghana and without waiting for 1st
plaintiff who was then in Italy to return, hurriedly buried them without her
knowledge, authority and consent.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>9.
The plaintiffs say further that the conduct of the 1st defendant in
that regard gravely offended against the Asante custom and practices.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>