SAMUEL ADUMOAH OKWEI vs. EBENEZER KPAKPO OQUAYE & 2 ORS [2016]DLHC17160

Date	2016-04-22
Suit No.	SUIT N0. FAL 272/13
Citation No.	[2016]DLHC17160

HER LADYSHIP MRS. ELIZABETH ANKUMAH J

FAUSTEL COFFIE

MAXWELL OWUSU ESQUIRE

VERONICA ADIKPO

[2016]DLHC17160
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="_Hlk152146143"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">SAMUEL ADUMOAH OKWEI <o:p></o:p></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">EBENEZER KPAKPO OQUAYE &amp; 2 ORS <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">(DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">&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; <o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">SUIT N0. FAL 272/13&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: 22ND &nbsp;APRIL 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>FAUSTEL COFFIE WITH
MAXWELL OWUSU ESQUIRE FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

VERONICA ADIKPO FOR
2ND AND 3RD DEFENDANT<o:p></o:p>

</div><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">CORAM <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">HER
LADYSHIP MRS. ELIZABETH ANKUMAH J<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: black; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:
12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>The
plaintiff per his amended writ and statement of claim is claiming inter alia
against the defendant that he is the head of the Royal Owuo We family. The suit
was originally against one Solomon Nortey Owuo who died on 8th October 2015.
The plaintiff then applied for leave to substitute the deceased 1st defendant with Ebenezer Kpakpo
Acquaye who is now the present 1st defendant/applicant.
The Court granted the plaintiff’s plea on 3rd December
2015.<o:p></o:p>On
10th February 2016, the 1st defendant/applicant filed a Motion
on Notice to set aside the order of substitution granted the plaintiff on 3rd December
2015 that substituted the applicant in place of the late Solomon Nortey Owuo.
The basis of the 1st defendant/applicant’s
prayer is contained in paragraphs 4, 5, and 7 of his affidavit in support filed
on 10/2/16 as follows:<o:p></o:p>“4.
That all the issues in this suit have been resolved save the issue of headship
of the Owuo We Royal family between the plaintiff/respondent and the deceased 1st defendant. See exhibit ‘A’;<o:p></o:p>5.
That I am advised by solicitors and I verily believe to be true that I was
wrongly substituted in this suit because the cause of action does not survive the deceased 1st defendant;<o:p></o:p>7.
That …the plaintiff/respondent has also sued me at the General High Court,
Accra in his alleged capacity as the head of family which I have also
counterclaimed for a declaration that I am the head of family. See exhibits ‘C’ and ‘C1’ Counsel for the
1st defendant/applicant in his
submission to the Court referred to order 4 rule 5 (2) (a) on misjoinder and
non joinder of parties and stated
that giving the relief that the plaintiff/respondent is seeking, the death of
Solomon Nortey Owuo (deceased) ended the dispute. He alleges that the action
mounted by the plaintiff/respondent should not survive the deceased. It is only
when an action survives a deceased person that there can be substitution for
the case to proceed. He cited the case of Nii
Paul Aryitey Tetteh substituted by Arthur Hammond Tetteh Quarcoo Vrs B A
Quarcoo &amp; Another (delivered on
29/5/08) Unreported Suit No. HI/25/07 CA. According to Counsel for the
defendant/applicant, the action against Solomon Nortey Owuo (deceased) was a
personal action instituted against him and as
such upon his death the action does not survive him; the action abates completely. To him, the
position of a head of family is not inheritable, but with the death of a head
of family, another suitable person is elected from the family; because the
applicant has been nominated does not mean that he can take the 1st defendant’s position. Counsel
argued further that the plaintiff/respondent has commenced a fresh action
against the 1st defendant/applicant. Counsel
therefore prayed that the substitution order which made the applicant herein
take the place of Solomon Nortey Owuo (deceased) be set aside.<o:p></o:p>The