<p class="mb-5" id="contentDlCitation" hidden>[2015]DLHC3554</p> <div class="restriction-wrapper"> <div class="container-lg"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-12 restricted-content"> <div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper"> <div class="lock-icon bounce-7"> <img class="" src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png" alt="Subscription based content"> </div> </div> <a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login" class="btn btn-primary btn-lg" style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> Login to Read Full Case </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:122.25pt center 225.65pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:#00B0F0"> MR. PETER OSEI AFRIYIE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span 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="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:#00B0F0">PASTOR OSEI AGYEMANG AND JANET OSEI AGYEMANG<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;"> [HIGH COURT (COMMERCIAL DIVISION), KUMASI]</span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"><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="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="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"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">SUIT </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">NO.INTS/13/12 </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">DATE: </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">10</span><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">TH</span></sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"> FEBRUARY, 2015<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">COUNSEL: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">KWAME ANTWI AFRIYIE FOR PLAINTIFF<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="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">KWABENA POKU MENSAH FOR DEFENDANT<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">CORAM:<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="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">HER LADYSHIP ANGELINA MENSAH-HOMIAH (MRS.) JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri"><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><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="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="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"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The Defendants herein are the execution creditors in suit number OCC/52/2010 where they obtained judgment against one Pastor Osei Agyemang. The said Pastor Osei Agyemang is the husband of the Plaintiff (Claimant) in the instant interpleader proceedings.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-US"> Following the failure of Pastor Osei Agyemang to pay the judgment debt, the property in issue, House Number Plot 1 Block 6 A Asuoyeboah, Kumasi was attached by the Deputy Sheriff. The Plaintiff claimed ownership of this house and gave notice to the Registrar of this court on 16/03/2012. The Registrar in turn caused a Notice to Dispute Claim to be served on the Defendants. On 20/06/2013, the court granted an ex-parte application filed by the registrar calling on the parties to appear in court for the determination of the claimant’s claim. That is, whether or not She is the owner of the property in dispute.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-US">At the trial, the Plaintiff led evidence to the effect that she contributed financially to the acquisition of this property. According to her, Pastor Osei Agyemang, whom she has been married to since the year 1980, was awarded a Government contract to construct stores and stalls. For this project, the Plaintiff told the court that her husband requested her to supply sand so that they could use the profit for an investment. Thus, the disputed property was acquired in the year 1998. Aside this financial contribution towards the construction of the disputed house, the Plaintiff testified that Pastor Osei Agyemang sold two of the four houses which were acquired in the course of their marriage, but gifted the disputed one to her and their children, namely Maxwell Osei Agyemang, aged 32 and Christabel Osei Agyeman, aged 12. It is also her evidence that she has lived in this house with her husband and children for the past ten years. In cross-examination, the Plaintiff admitted that she was aware of the attachment of movable property from this house but her husband agreed that those items be taken away and that he would replace them. However, she denied any knowledge of the fact that her husband has mortgaged this property by a mortgage dated 17/09/2009 as per the search results from the Lands Commission, Kumasi. She told the court that her husband has petitioned for divorce. She tendered a copy of the divorce petition and the notice served on her to enter appearance as exhibit B.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-US">To corroborate her evidence of customary gift of the disputed house, the Plaintiff’s brother gave evidence to the effect that Pastor Osei Agyeman informed their family that he had gifted this house to the Plaintiff. In the year 2001, PW1 said aseda was presented to Pastor Osei Agyeman. The items included a sheep, yams and condiments and that he personally presented the items. He mentioned one Nana Kwame (Pastor Osei Agyeman’s brother), Church members of the pastor as well as Nana Dabanka (now deceased) as some of the people present.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-US">In cross-examination, PW1 admitted that Pastor Osei Agyeman has put tenants in the disputed house but would not know whether the Plaintiff was part of these agreements. In a lengthy cross-examination, Counsel for the Defendants sought to discredit PW1’s evidence on the customary gift but PW1 maintained his position that the property was indeed gifted to his sister and Aseda was duly presented.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-US"> As regards the mortgage of the house, PW1 said he had no knowledge of it. However, counsel suggested to him that this mortgage was executed seven years after the alleged customary gift and that the documentation covering the property is in the name of the Bank.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-US">After the Plaintiff had closed her case, Counsel for the Defendants requested for, and was granted several adjournments for the Defendants to state their case. He told the court that his only witness will be an officer from the Lands Commission. A subpoena was duly served on the Lands Commission but they gave one excuse after the other and neglected to come to court to testify. After a series of adjournments, the court had no alternative than to close the Defendant’s case. A date was set for addresses to be filed and for judgment to be delivered. As of the time of writing this judgment, none of the lawyers had field their respective addresses. I will therefore proceed without having the benefit of the written submissions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-US">First, I will consider the question of gift. The line of cross-examination adopted by counsel for the Defendants seems to suggest that there was no such gift because of the absence of family members of the donor at the ceremony where aseda was presented. And, if the property had actually been gifted to the Plaintiff, her husband would not have used it a</main>
