MARY LARTEY AND HUBERT NII ABBEY vs. CHRISTIAN B. LARTEY & 3 ORS , ESTHER ADDO & 2 ORS [2019]DLHC16525

MARY LARTEY AND HUBERT NII ABBEY vs. CHRISTIAN B. LARTEY & 3 ORS , ESTHER ADDO &... [2019]DLHC16525

Date	2019-11-09
Suit No.	SUIT NO. AL/123/2011
Citation No.	[2019]DLHC16525

HIS LORDSHIP K. A. GYIMAH

FREEMAN SARBAH WITH ELSIE DJAN FOR PHILIP ADDISON FOR PLAINTIFFS.

IRENE MARIA ALLOTEY-ANNAN FOR REGINALD NIIBI AYIBONTE FOR DEFENDANTS.

KOBINA DARKO ASIEDU FOR THIRD PARTIES.

[2019]DLHC16525
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MARY LARTEY AND HUBERT NII
ABBEY<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>CHRISTIAN B. LARTEY &amp;
3 ORS<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p>ESTHER ADDO &amp;
2 ORS<o:p></o:p>(THIRD
PARTIES)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT, ACCRA]<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;">

SUIT NO. AL/123/2011&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:
9TH&nbsp;NOVEMBER 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>FREEMAN
SARBAH WITH ELSIE DJAN FOR PHILIP ADDISON FOR PLAINTIFFS.<o:p></o:p>IRENE
MARIA ALLOTEY-ANNAN FOR REGINALD NIIBI AYIBONTE FOR DEFENDANTS.<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;">

</div>CORAM<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;">

</div>&nbsp;<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;">

JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>Introduction<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The late Joseph Thomas Hammond (commonly referred to as J. T. Hammond)
who died on 20th June 1952 must be turning in his grave by now
especially because of this suit and the series of suits that have arisen as a
result of his estate.&nbsp; The nature of
these suits have brought disunity and disharmony among the family he left
behind and that has really been epitomized in this present suit before me.&nbsp; All the parties in this case are descendants
of the late J. T. Hammond.&nbsp; I make these
preliminary comments because on page 3 of his will which was admitted in
evidence as exhibit A, this is what the late Joseph Thomas Hammond stated:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“It is the preservation of my property and the enjoyment of peace and
harmony that I charge the executors of this my will to observe.&nbsp; I accordingly absolutely forbid any disunity
and litigation among my family.&nbsp; All must
be sincere to each other. Any of my family failing to observe any of the above
instructions which are my express wish and desire should be dealt with
seriously by the executors.&nbsp; The devisees
must well observe the above and abide by it.”<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Unfortunately, these words could only be the desires and wishes of the
late J. T. Hammond and he cannot control the actions and activities of his
children, grandchildren and great grandchildren from his grave.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Plaintiffs’ Claims<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;By a writ of summons issued on 26th July 2011, the plaintiffs
claimed the following reliefs against the defendants:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">i.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A declaration
that House No. D824/4 Knutsford Avenue, Accra is not a family property to be
</main>