DR. EMMANUEL MAMA BOYE (DECEASED) AND JOHN OFFEI ARMAH vs. MRS. EVELYN BOYE, JEREMIAS MAMA AKITA, SAMUEL KORLE BOYE AND MRS ELIZABETH MATEKI NEEQUAYE [2012]DLCA5372

DR. EMMANUEL MAMA BOYE (DECEASED) AND JOHN OFFEI ARMAH vs. MRS. EVELYN BOYE, JE... [2012]DLCA5372

Date	2012-02-02
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO.H/1207/2011
Citation No.	[2012]DLCA5372

KUSI-APPIAH J.A. (PRESIDING)

OWUSU (M/S) J.A.

KORBIEH J.A.

DR. EKOW DANIELS FOR THE DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS

MR. SAM WOOD FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2012]DLCA5372
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DR. EMMANUEL MAMA BOYE (DECEASED) AND JOHN OFFEI ARMAH
(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>MRS. EVELYN BOYE, JEREMIAS MAMA AKITA, SAMUEL KORLE BOYE AND MRS
ELIZABETH MATEKI NEEQUAYE<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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CIVIL APPEAL NO.H/1207/2011&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: 2ND
FEBRUARY, 2012<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>DR.
EKOW DANIELS FOR THE DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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MR. SAM WOOD FOR THE
PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <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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KUSI-APPIAH J.A. (PRESIDING), OWUSU
(M/S) J.A., KORBIEH J.A.<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="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-add-space:auto;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">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>KUSI-APPIAH, J.A.<o:p></o:p>This is an appeal from the judgment
of the High Court, Fast Track Division, Accra by which that court gave judgment
in favour of the plaintiff.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The case concerns the estate of the
late Dr. Emmanuel Mama Boye. The said Dr. Emmanuel Mama Boye is alleged to have
died testate on 24th September, 2002 and the action was for the
following reliefs:-<o:p></o:p>“(1)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A&nbsp; declaration that the Will of the late Dr.
Emmanuel Mama Boye dated July, 2002 was duly executed in accordance with the provisions
of the Wills Act of 1971 (Act 360) and must be pronounced valid.<o:p></o:p>(2) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order that the said Will of the late Dr. Emmanuel Mama Boye dated 26th
July, 2002 be admitted to probate.” <o:p></o:p>The plaintiff is the sole executor
of the Will of the late Dr. Emmanuel Mama Boye. The 1st defendant
claims to be the lawful surviving spouse of the testator whilst the 2nd,
3rd and 4th defendants also describe themselves as
principal members and customary successors of the testator. They (the
defendants) therefore claim to have vested interest in the estate of the late
Dr. Emmanuel Mama Boye.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The defendants in their defence
challenged the validity of the Will on several grounds. First, they averred
that the testator was at the time material to this action in such a deteriorated
state of health that he could not possibly have been in a state of mind to have
given instructions to a lawyer for the making of a Will or to execute a Will as
alleged by the plaintiff. In effect, the defendants contended that at the time
of the execution of the Will, the testator did not know and approve the
contents thereof.&nbsp; That the signature on
the Will was a forgery, that the Will was obtained by undue influence of some
person on account of the unusually large portion of the estate of the testator
given to them. The defendants concluded that the Will was not duly executed in
accordance with the Wills Act, Supra.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The defendants therefore
counterclaimed for;- <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“(a)
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A pronouncement of the court
against the Will and<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>(b) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
pronouncement that the 1st defendant in her capacity as the
surviving spouse and the other defendants as next-of-kin of the deceased are
entitled to be granted Letters of Administration of the estate of the
deceased.” <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The trial court took evidence and
held that “the Will of th</main>