SAMUEL KORMLA AGBALE PLAINTIFF (PLAINTIFF) vs. EKUVOR AGBALE LADZAGLAH AND KWASIVI AGBALE AND LADZAGLAH DEFENDANTS 3. JAMES KOFI LADZAGLAH [2016]DLHC7657

SAMUEL KORMLA AGBALE PLAINTIFF (PLAINTIFF) vs. EKUVOR AGBALE LADZAGLAH AND KWASI... [2016]DLHC7657

Date	2016-07-26
Suit No.	SUIT NO. BMISC 512/2014
Citation No.	[2016]DLHC7657

HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE AFIA SERWAH ASARE-BOTWE (MRS.)

MICHAEL LADZAGLAH REPRESENTS THE 1ST AND 2ND DEFENDANTS 3RD DEFENDANT

COL. RTD CHRIS NUTAKOR FOR JEAN MAURELLET FOR THE PLAINTIFF MR. SEYRAM DARBI FOR THE DEFENDANTS

[2016]DLHC7657
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >SAMUEL KORMLA
AGBALE PLAINTIFF<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;
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>EKUVOR AGBALE
LADZAGLAH AND KWASIVI AGBALE AND LADZAGLAH DEFENDANTS 3. JAMES KOFI LADZAGLAH<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT (FINANCIAL &amp; ECONOMIC DIVISION 2), ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

SUIT
NO. BMISC 512/2014 &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: 26TH JULY, 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MICHAEL
LADZAGLAH REPRESENTS THE 1ST AND 2ND DEFENDANTS <o:p></o:p>3RD
DEFENDANT <o:p></o:p>COL.
RTD CHRIS NUTAKOR FOR JEAN MAURELLET FOR THE PLAINTIFF <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

MR.
SEYRAM DARBI FOR THE DEFENDANTS <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:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

HER
LADYSHIP JUSTICE AFIA SERWAH ASARE-BOTWE (MRS.) <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:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div>This suit commenced with the issuance of a writ of summons with
its accompanying statement of claim seeking the following reliefs; <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:11.5pt;margin-right:.2pt;margin-bottom:
0cm;margin-left:18.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:
yes">a. A Declaration that Plaintiff is the
rightful or appropriate person by the pleadings to apply for the grant for
Letters if Administration in this Honourable Court, administer and distribute
the Estate of the William Quao Anipati (Deceased) including in particular H/No.
D498/4 Jones Nelson Road Adabraka, Accra among the beneficiaries of the Estate
according to law. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:19.9pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:
0cm;margin-left:18.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:
yes">b. A Declaration that the Estate of William
Quao Anipati (Deceased) is located at the matrilineal section of William Quao
Anipati (Deceased) family by virtue of the customary practices and usages in
force of his Akorvie Clan of Mepe as determined on 10th November, 2005
by Torbge Sasago Adotey of Mepe as per his arbitration award determined at Mepe
in the Volta Region. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:20.15pt;margin-right:.2pt;margin-bottom:
0cm;margin-left:18.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:
yes">c. An order that Plaintiff should apply to
administer the said Estate to the exclusion of the Defendants and distribute
same according to Law. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:19.9pt;margin-right:.2pt;margin-bottom:
0cm;margin-left:18.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:
yes">d. An order of perpetual injunction
restraining the Defendants, their agents, servants, workers, assigns or anyone
claiming through the Defendants from interfering with the administration of the
Estate of William Quao Anipati (Deceased) and in particular H/No. D 498/4 Jones
Nelson Road, Adabraka, Accra. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:19.65pt;margin-right:384.7pt;margin-bottom:
0cm;margin-left:18.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">e. Cost(s). <o:p></o:p>This case in its entirety is founded on the
question of the customary practices and usages of the people of Mepe in the
Volta Region and whether by the rules of succession, a bother of the half-blood
can succeed a deceased’s Estate. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:11.75pt;margin-right:-.2pt;margin-bottom:
0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:
yes">The undisputed facts of the case are that the
property in dispute is the self-acquired property of the late William Quao
Anipati. It is undisputed also that the late William Quao Anipati died
intestate and having no surviving child(ren) in 1943. It is also undisputed
that William Quao Anipati’s father, Amega Agbale Ladzaglah was a polygamist
during his lifetime and married five (5) women. It is also undisputed that the
people of Mepe in the Volta Region inherit patrilineally. The parties part ways
in their understanding of patrilineal succession in polygamous families. The
Plaintiff is also, it is agreed by both parties, a descendant of Yedinu Agbale,
the mother of the late William Quao Anipatie, the first wife of Amega Agbale
Ladzagla, while the Defendants are descendants of the late Yedinu’s co- wives. <o:p></o:p>While the Plaintiff claims that only a
father’s children by the same mother can inherit their late brother’s estate,
the Defendants claim that the identity of one’s mother is of no consequence.
For them, once the owner of the estate is one’s father’s son, such a person can
administer the estate of the deceased and inherit his property. It is a
question, for them, of who is the most senior of the children of the father,
and not necessarily, whose mother’s son acquired the estate. <o:p></o:p>