LESLIE NARTEY MARBELL AND DUDLEY NARTEY MARBELL vs. SALAMATU MARBELL [2018]DLCA5262

Date	2018-07-24
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO.H1/151/2018
Citation No.	[2018]DLCA5262

SAMUEL MARFUL-SAU J.A. (PRESIDING)

AVRIL LOVELACE-JOHNSON J.A.

HENRY A. KWOFIE J.A.

TETTEH JOSIAH FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS

ALI GOMDA ABDUL SAMAD FOR THE DEFENDANTS/RESPONDENTS

[2018]DLCA5262
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >LESLIE NARTEY MARBELL AND DUDLEY
NARTEY MARBELL<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>SALAMATU MARBELL<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, 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.H1/151/2018&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: 24TH JULY,
2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>TETTEH JOSIAH FOR THE
PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS<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">

ALI
GOMDA ABDUL SAMAD FOR THE DEFENDANTS/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">

<a name="_Hlk514926719">SAMUEL MARFUL-SAU</a> J.A. (PRESIDING),
AVRIL LOVELACE-JOHNSON J.A., HENRY A. KWOFIE J.A.<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">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>HENRY KWOFIE J.A<o:p></o:p>This
appeal is against the judgment of the High Court Accra delivered on 27th
day of January 2015.&nbsp; The trial judge
dismissed the claim of the plaintiffs and entered judgement in favour of the
defendant on her counter claim in respect of the disputed house No. 29, Mensah
Wood Road, Ambassadorial Enclave, East Legon, Accra.<o:p></o:p>The
facts leading to this appeal are that Victor Adolphus Tatse Marbell (deceased)
was a Commissioner of Police in the Ghana Police Service and Director of
Special Branch, Ghana.&nbsp; He left Ghana on
4th January 1982 for the United Kingdom whilst still in active
service and did not return to Ghana until his death on 7th February
2009 in the United Kingdom where he was buried. The two plaintiffs are the
children of the late Victor Adolphus Tatse Marbell whom he had with different
mothers prior to marrying the defendant in June, 1971.&nbsp; The defendant was a Chief Superintendent of
Police in the Ghana Police Service and had 2 children with the deceased.&nbsp; The defendant with her two (2) young children
also left Ghana in March 1982 and joined the deceased husband and they lived
together at No. 128 Elizabeth House, Gasbrook, Reading, U.K.&nbsp; The deceased Victor Marbell and his wife the
defendant and their two children never set foot in Ghana until the deceased
died on 7th February 2009 and was buried in the U.K. Prior to their
departure from Ghana, the couple had a joint lease agreement in respect of plot
No. 29, Mensah Wood Street, Ambassadorial enclave, East Legon, Accra the
subject of dispute in this action.&nbsp; The
property had an uncompleted outhouse and a foundation for the main building
prior to the couple departing to the United Kingdom.&nbsp; It is the case of the plaintiffs that upon
the death of their father Victor Adolphus Tatse Marbell, the defendant his
widow gave a Power of Attorney to someone to apply for letters of
administration in respect of the East Legon property without recourse to them
and or the family of the deceased Victor Marbell.&nbsp; The plaintiffs accordingly instituted the
action in the Registry of the High Court, Accra against the defendant claiming
the following reliefs: <o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
declaration that defendant’s application for Letters of Administration without
notice to the plaintiffs nor the head of the deceased family contravenes the
law on the administration of Estates.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order revoking the Letters of Administration granted to the defendant.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
declaration that the plaintiffs together with the defendant and her children
are beneficiaries of the estate of the late Victor Adolphus Tatse Marbell.<o:p></o:p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order of injunction to restrain the defendant either by herself or her agents,
assigns and heirs from dealing with House No. 29, Mensah Wood Street
Ambassadorial Enclave in whatever manner</main>