AKWASI POKU AND THREE OTHERS vs. KOFI ADUSEI AND FOUR OTHERS [2013]DLHC8156

Date	2013-06-24
Suit No.	SUIT NO. LS2109/93
Citation No.	[2013]DLHC8156

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE JACOB B. BOON

J. K. KODUAH WITH SAMUEL AYISI FOR PLAINTIFFS

KWADWO DEI KWARTENG FOR DEFENDANTS

[2013]DLHC8156
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >AKWASI POKU AND THREE OTHERS<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>KOFI ADUSEI AND FOUR OTHERS<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. LS2109/93&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE:
24TH JUNE, 2013<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>J.
K. KODUAH WITH SAMUEL AYISI FOR 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">

KWADWO
DEI KWARTENG FOR 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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;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>This writ of summons was filed in the Registry of this court almost two
decades ago on 1st October, 1993. The plaintiffs are siblings. Their
father was the late Opanyin Kwasi Gyamfi of Apatrapa near Kumasi, who begat the
plaintiffs with one Madam Akua Mansa, deceased. The first defendant is the
brother of Opanyin Kwasi Gyamfi. The second, third and fourth defendants are
his children by other women, whilst the fifth defendant is his widow. It is
alleged by the plaintiffs that Opanyin Kwasi Gyamfi left a will of which the
first defendant is an executor whilst the other defendants are mentioned
beneficiaries and are in possession of the properties in dispute in this
action. The defendants are therefore sued as executor and purported
beneficiaries of the will of late Opanin Kwasi Gyamfi. The properties in
dispute are described in a schedule attached to the plaintiffs’ writ of summons
in the following terms:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>1.9 Acre cocoa farm together
with the “Mfofowa” that encompasses the said cocoa farm situate and lying at a
place commonly called “Nyame Bekyere” on Agogo stool land bounded by the
properties of Opanin Appau, Kofi Adabo, Opanin Kwabia, Opanin Kofi Fofie, Kwame
Mensah and river “Nkyenkyem” <o:p></o:p>2. COTTAGE in the farm <o:p></o:p>3. THATCHED HOUSE at Akonkyi
near Kotokuom<o:p></o:p>4. The room in which there is
a cornmill in the thatched house described above.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>These properties are said to have been devised in the will of Opanin
Kwasi Gyamfi to the defendants already referred to and others who not parties
in this matter. The plaintiffs asserted that the cocoa farm at Nyamebekyere and
cottage thereon were devised to the following named children of Opanin Kwasi
Gyamfi: Kwame Dapaa, Kwadwo Sarkodie, Kwame Afrane, Kofi Asamoah, the second
defendant herein, Abena Nyamekye and Afua Konadu; the thatched house was given
to the second, third and fourth defendants and the children of Opanin Kwasi
Gyamfi with the fifth defendant. Finally, the room housing the cornmill was
devised to the fourth defendant.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The plaintiffs therefore asserted that title to all the properties in
dispute are vested in them because &nbsp;Opanin
Kwasi Gyamfi, in his lifetime, made gifts of them to them, and consequently, had
no testamentary capacity to devise them in his will. Plaintiffs also asked for
recovery of possession of the properties and injunction to restrain the
defendants from having anything to do with them.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Plaintiffs averred that the properties are located in the Atwima Agogo
stool land at Akonkye/Kotokuom in the Nkawie District of Ashanti. That
assertion is not disputed. It is their case that their mother, Madam Akua Mansa
belonged to the royal family of Atwi</main>