LYDIA KWAO vs PASCAL MUAKO TCHEMO [2015]DLHC16348

Date	2015-12-10
Suit No.	SUIT NO. BDMC 100/2012
Citation No.	[2015]DLHC16348

HIS LORDSHIP A. K. YEBOAH J

FRANK AGYAPONG ESQ

MAAME POKUWAA ADU GYAMFI

[2015]DLHC16348
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<a name="_Hlk146980440"></a><a name="_Hlk146981432">LYDIA KWAO<o:p></o:p></a>

vs.<o:p></o:p>

(RESPONDENT)<span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
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#6E747A;mso-effects-shadow-alpha:43.0%;mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius:3.0pt;
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100.0%;mso-effects-shadow-anglekx:0;mso-effects-shadow-angleky:0;mso-bidi-font-weight:
bold"><o:p></o:p>

[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>

SUIT NO. BDMC 100/2012&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: 10TH DECEMBER 2015<o:p></o:p>

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COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>

FRANK AGYAPONG ESQ.,
WITH MAAME POKUWAA ADU GYAMFI FOR PETITIONER<o:p></o:p>

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CORAM<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;HIS LORDSHIP A. K. YEBOAH J<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
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solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

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&nbsp;

BY COURT:&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; <o:p></o:p>

This is the final judgment in the
petition filed by Lydia Kwao on 29th &nbsp;December
2011. In her amended petition filed
on 15th July 2013, she prayed for a declaration that the
marriage between her and Pascal Nuako Tchemo, the Respondent to the Petition is
null and void, financial provision and cost.
In his amended answer to the Petition filed on 15th December 2014, the
Respondent also cross-petitioned for a declaration that the marriage is null and void, recovery of
specified sums of money from the Petitioner and a number of properties acquired during
the marriage. It is instructive to note from the onset that in their unamended
petition and answer, both the Petitioner and the Respondent had prayed for
dissolution of the marriage between them.<o:p></o:p>

On the evidence, the Petitioner is a
Ghanaian and the Respondent is a
Cameroonian-born Canadian citizen. Whilst doing business in Ghana, the
Respondent met the Petitioner in Accra. The
Respondent was an importer and wholesaler engaged in the business of used
clothing and the Petitioner was a retailer of used clothing. Their meeting developed into a love
relationship. They initially
celebrated Akan Customary Marriage at Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region and on
30th August 2003 upgraded it to an Ordinance Marriage. The date of their first meeting was 2003.<o:p></o:p>

In proof of the customary law marriage
the Respondent tendered Exhibits 25, 25A, 25B and 26. These
are photographs of the marriage ceremony at Nkoranza. To prove the subsequent Ordinance Marriage, the Petitioner
tendered Exhibit ‘A’ dated 30th August 2003. On
the basis of these exhibits implying a marriage, both parties initially pleaded
a valid marriage and prayed for its dissolution by the Court. In the course of the proceedings they
turned tail to pray for a declaration that the marriage captured in these
Exhibits is null and void. However,
for her part, when the Petitioner entered the witness box to testify, she led evidence
not to support her proposition
that the marriage is null and void, but rather in support of her prayer
in the unamended petition that the marriage be dissolved.<o:p></o:p>

Is the marriage between the parties
null and void? Clearly, the moment the Ordinance Marriage between the parties
came into force or operation on 30th&nbsp;August 2003, the customary marriage
ceased to exist i</main>