[2012]DLCA4777 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; color:#00B0F0">MADAM VICTORIA QUIST<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; color:#00B0F0">MRS. LILIAN THERESA NYAME </span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"">AND <span style="color:#00B0F0">ERIC BAFFOE</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">(DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">[COURT OF APPEAL, CAPE COAST]<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="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 lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">CIVIL APPEAL NO.H1/06/2012 22<sup>ND</sup> NOVEMBER, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"">J. AYIKOI OTOO FOR THE DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS<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 lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">PROF. EKOW DANIELS FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">CORAM:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"">MARFUL-SAU JA (PRESIDING), HONYENUGA JA, DENNIS ADJEI JA<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="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;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 lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"">MARFUL-SAU, JA: -</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> This appeal is taken from the judgment of the Circuit Court sitting at Tarkwa on the 21<sup>st</sup> of January 2011. The plaintiff/respondent to be referred to as respondent issued a writ for the following reliefs:-<b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">‘’1. A declaration that plaintiff is a child of the late Mrs. Florence Acquah deceased.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> 2. A declaration that House No. NT 92 New Layout, Tarkwa, commonly styled as CAROVILLE forms part of the estate of the late Mrs. Florence Acquah deceased.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> 3. Recovery of possession thereof.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> 4. Perpetual injunction restraining the defendants their agents, servants, privies etc from interfering with the plaintiff’s quiet enjoyment of H/No NT 92 New Layout Tarkwa.’’<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The defendants/ appellants to be known as appellants disputed the claim by the respondent and hearing of the case commenced on the 19<sup>th</sup> May 2010. This was after the court had adopted the application for directions filed on the 29th November 2009 at page 38 of the record of appeal. Upon the application three issues were set down for the hearing namely:-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">‘’1.Whether or not Mrs. Florence Acquah was/is the mother of the plaintiff and or the grandmother of the 1st defendant.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> 2. Whether or not upon the death of Mrs. Florence Acquah, her estate, H/No. NT 92, New Layout, Tarkwa known as CAROVILLE devolves upon Mrs. Joyce Theresa Laryea.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> 3. Whether or not the plaintiff is entitled to the reliefs sought.’’ <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The respondent by a motion on Notice applied for leave to amend the application for directions adopted by the court as stated above. This application from the record was made after the respondent and her witness Pw1 had both testified and cross examined. The trial court on the 2<sup>nd</sup> July 2010 granted the application for leave to amend and counsel for respondent filed an amended application for directions which is at page 71 of the record of appeal. The new issues that were filed were as follows:-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">‘’1.Whether or not Mrs. Florence Acquah did adopt the plaintiff as a child during her life time.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> 2. Whether or not the plaintiff is a daughter/child of Mrs. Florence Acquah(deceased)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> 3. Whether by operation of law and custom plaintiff is entitled to the estate of Mrs. Florence Acquah (deceased)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> 4. Whether or not upon the death of Mrs. Florence Acquah, her estate House No. NT 92, New Layout, Tarkwa devolves upon plaintiff.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> 5. Whether or not Joyce Theresa Laryea could make a proper disposition of House No. NT 92, in her will.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> 6. Whether the plaintiff is entitled to her claims.’’<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The trial court continued the hearing of the case and at the end of the trial entered judgment for the respondent, declaring her as an adopted child of the late Mrs. Florence Acquah. The trial court further found that the respondent together with the 1st appellant were both beneficiaries of the estate as members of family of the late Mrs. Florence Acquah, who died intestate on the 8<sup>th</sup> May 1968. The appellants being dissatisfied with the decision of the trial court filed this appeal on the sole ground that the judgment was against the weight of evidence.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:jus