GUY NEE WHANG AND KROWE MENSAH vs. VANDERPUYE MANISON [2015]DLSC3226

Date	2015-06-17
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/6/2015
Citation No.	[2015]DLSC3226

AKUFFO (MS.) JSC (PRESIDING)

ADINYIRA (MRS.) JSC

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC

GBADEGBE JSC

BENIN JSC

THADDEUS SORY ESQ. WITH HIM CARL ADONGO ESQ. FOR THE. DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT/APPELLANT.

J. AYIKOI OTOO ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/ APPELLANTS/RESPONDENTS.

[2015]DLSC3226
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >GUY NEE WHANG AND KROWE
MENSAH<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>VANDERPUYE MANISON<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[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. J4/6/2015&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
DATE: 17TH
JUNE, 2015<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>THADDEUS
SORY ESQ. WITH HIM CARL ADONGO ESQ. FOR THE. DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT/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">

J.&nbsp; AYIKOI OTOO ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/
APPELLANTS/RESPONDENTS.<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:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

AKUFFO (MS.) JSC (PRESIDING), ADINYIRA (MRS.) JSC,
BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC, GBADEGBE JSC, AND BENIN 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>ADINYIRA JSC: <o:p></o:p>FACTS OF THE
CASE<o:p></o:p>The Plaintiffs/Appellants/Respondents (Plaintiffs)
are the executors of the will of the late Joseph Borketey Manison (testator) who
died on 21 January 2006.&nbsp; It was thought
that he died intestate, and his estate was shared. Then by a letter dated the 9
July 2009, the Chief Registrar of the High Court, Accra invited members of his family
to the registry of the Court for the reading of a will purported to be the last
will and testament of the testator.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>This will was tendered in evidence as Exhibit A. In
his will, the testator devised almost the whole of his estate to Enoch Bortey
Manison son of Madam Beatrice Ankrah.&nbsp;
The other children including Defendant were given “other houses” which,
as it turned out did not exist.<o:p></o:p>The Defendant/Respondent/Appellant (Defendant),
who is one of the testator’s sons, challenged the validity of the said will on
the grounds that the will was forged as the signature on the will was not that
of his late father. He also contended that as at 16 May 2001 when
the testator was alleged to have executed the said last will and testament the
testator had no testamentary capacity.&nbsp;
On these grounds Defendant filed a notice calling upon the executors of
the will to prove the will in solemn form.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Accordingly, the Plaintiffs issued a writ on 23
July 2007 to have the will pronounced valid.&nbsp;
In their suit, the Plaintiffs claimed against the Defendant a declaration
that the will dated 16 May 2001 was the true will and last testament of the testator
and an order that the said will, be admitted to probate.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The issues for determination before the High Court
were whether the will was properly executed by the testator and attested to by
witnesses and whether the testator was compos mentis at the time he executed
the will. The trial judge resolved all these issues in favor of the defendant.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The trial judge relied heavily on the evidence of
PW3 the surviving attesting witness whose evidence was that the will was not
the act of the testator as his signature and that of the testator on the will were
forgeries. The trial judge compared the signatures of the testator on some
exhibits with that on the will and found the signatures on all the exhibits
were the same except that on the will which was different. The trial Judge also
relied on the evidence of DWI, Dr Jacob Jordan Lamptey, the psychiatrist who
treated the testator for dementia to come to the conclusion that Exhibit A, the
will was a forgery.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>At page 24 of the judgment, the trial judge
dismissed the Plaintiffs’ case in this manner:<o:p></o:p>“There is direct evidence the testator did not
have testamentary capacity. Whatever is in Exhibit A can never be his deed. <o:p></o:p>