ANTHONY VICTOR OBENG vs. MRS THERESA HENRIETTA OBENG [2015]DLSC3028

Date	2015-12-09
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/37/2015
Citation No.	[2015]DLSC3028

ATUGUBA JSC

PRESIDING DOTSE JSC

YEBOAH JSC

BENIN JSC

AKAMBA JSC

ALEX QUAYNOR ESQ. FOR THE PETITIONER/APPELLANT/APPELLANT.

NII AKWEI BRUCE THOMPSON ESQ. WITH HIM RICHARD OBENG FOR THE RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT.

[2015]DLSC3028
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ANTHONY VICTOR OBENG<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>MRS THERESA HENRIETTA
OBENG<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/37/2015&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: 9TH DECEMBER, 2015<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>ALEX
QUAYNOR ESQ. FOR THE PETITIONER/APPELLANT/APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

&nbsp;NII AKWEI BRUCE THOMPSON
ESQ. WITH HIM RICHARD OBENG FOR THE
RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p>ATUGUBA JSC, PRESIDING DOTSE JSC, YEBOAH JSC, BENIN JSC,<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

AKAMBA JSC<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:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>AKAMBA,
JSC: <o:p></o:p>This appeal by Anthony
Victor Obeng, (herein after simply referred to as the appellant) raises for our
decision whether or not the Court of Appeal which affirmed the decision of the
trial High Court, adequately considered the material factors required by law in
the latter’s award of a lump sum of $80,000 or its cedi equivalent in favour of
Mrs Theresa Henrietta Obeng, (herein after simply referred to as the
respondent.) <o:p></o:p>The appellant and
respondent got married on 27th July 1996 in East Lancing, Michigan, in
the United States of America. At that time the respondent lived and worked in
Michigan in the United States. After the marriage they lived apart until 1998
when the respondent moved from Michigan to join the appellant in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia, where the latter lived and worked with the United Nations (UN). There
is no child of the marriage even though each of the parties has three (3)
children from their previous marriages. The marriage broke down beyond
reconciliation in 1999, wherefore the appellant as petitioner filed his
petition at the High Court Accra on 29th December 1999. By his
amended petition filed on 15th July 2003, the appellant sought the
following reliefs: <o:p></o:p>“(a) The dissolution of
the marriage between the Petitioner and Respondent, and (b) Property settlement
in respect of Respondent’s house situate at Achimota, Accra.” <o:p></o:p>In her amended response to
the petition filed on 22nd April 2002, the respondent also cross
petitioned for the following reliefs: <o:p></o:p>“i. Dismissal of the Petition of the
Petitioner.<o:p></o:p>ii. Dissolution of marriage between
Petitioner and Respondent on account of Petitioner’s callous and cruel misuse
of the Respondent.<o:p></o:p>iii. Petitioner be condemned to pay
damages and maintenance to the Respondent including the cost of resettling her
in the United States of America and maintenance pending the final determination
of the present suit.<o:p></o:p>iv. That the petitioner be condemned
to pay the cost of this suit including the legal costs of the respondent.<o:p></o:p>v. Any further reliefs as may be
just.”<o:p></o:p>After a trial which lasted
about two years in which neither party called any witness, the High Court on 21st
April 2004 entered judgment in favour of the respondent and dissolving the
marriage between the parties. It also ordered the Appellant:<o:p></o:p>(a)&nbsp;&nbsp; To
pay for a one way ticket from Accra to the United States of America for the
respondent.<o:p></o:p>(b)&nbsp;&nbsp; Pay
a lump sum of US$80,000.00 to respondent as financial settlement. This may be
made in 5 installments.<o:p></o:p><!--[if !support</main>