WILLIAM BENJAMIN HAGAN BROWN JNR. vs. MICHAEL HAGAN BROWN [2018]DLCA4864

Date	2018-10-31
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H1/37/2018
Citation No.	[2018]DLCA4864

MARIAMA OWUSU J.A (PRESIDING)

HENRY A. KWOFIE J.A

AMMA GAISIE J.A

WILLIAM ASAMOAH SARPONG FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

FELIX AMOAH FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

[2018]DLCA4864
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="_Hlk528929667">WILLIAM
BENJAMIN HAGAN BROWN JNR.<o:p></o:p></a>(DEFENDANT/
APPLICANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>MICHAEL
HAGAN BROWN<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>WILLIAM
ASAMOAH SARPONG FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT<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">

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>MARIAMA
OWUSU J.A (PRESIDING), HENRY A. KWOFIE J.A, AMMA GAISIE J.A<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>HENRY
KWOFIE J.A:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>This is an appeal against the ruling
of the High Court Kumasi given on the 23rd of March 2017.&nbsp; The ruling the subject of the appeal followed
an application by the defendant/applicant/appellant for the plaintiff’s suit to
be dismissed for want of capacity.&nbsp; The
said suit was brought by the plaintiff Michael Hagan Brown for himself and on
behalf of his mother and siblings on 16th September 2016 claiming
the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order of the Court to compel the defendant to distribute the estate of Nana Dr.
William Benjamin Hagan Brown in accordance with his Last Will and Testament.<o:p></o:p>ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
further order restraining the defendant from interfering with the plaintiff’s
enjoyment of the portion of the estate till the determination of the suit.<o:p></o:p>iii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order for the defendant to account to the plaintiff and all the beneficiaries
on how he has administered the estate.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The trial judge dismissed the defendant’s
application on 23rd of March 2017.&nbsp;
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the defendant/applicant/appellant mounted
this appeal by a Notice of Interlocutory appeal dated 13/07/2017 on the
following grounds:<o:p></o:p>i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
ruling is against the weight of evidence on record<o:p></o:p>ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Additional grounds of appeal would be filed on receipt of the record of appeal.<o:p></o:p>It is noted for the record that no
additional grounds of appeal were filed by the appellant.&nbsp; The relief sought from the Court of Appeal is
a reversal of the ruling of the High Court and an order dismissing the action
of the plaintiff/respondent for want of capacity.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The case of the plaintiff Michael
Hagan Brown is that he is one of the children of the late Dr. William Benjamin
Hagan Brown by his mother Mary Donkor.&nbsp;
He initiated the action for himself and on behalf of his mother Mary
Donkor and his three siblings namely Cynthia Hagan Brown, Salina Evon Hagan Brown
and William Benjamin Hagan Brown Jnr.&nbsp; It
is his case that his late father died on 23rd July 2000.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>After his death a dispute arose over
the validity of his last will which became the subject of litigation at the
High Court Kumasi which lasted about fifteen years before judgment was
delivered.&nbsp; The defendant was appointed
the Administrator of the estate by the Court since the named executor died
before judgment was</main>