JONATHAN JOSIAH VS. CONSTANCE JOSIAH [2020]DLCA10040

Date	2020-12-03
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H1/154/2019
Citation No.	[2020]DLCA10040

ADJEI J.A. (PRESIDING)

BAFFOUR J.A.

ARYENE (MRS.) J.A

ANDREWS TETTEH FOR THE PETITIONER/APPELLANT

BELINDA NORVIHOHO FOR THE RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT

[2020]DLCA10040
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >JONATHAN JOSIAH<o:p></o:p>(PETITIONER/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>VS.<o:p></o:p>CONSTANCE JOSIAH<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, 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;">

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>ANDREWS
TETTEH FOR THE PETITIONER/APPELLANT<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;">

BELINDA
NORVIHOHO FOR THE RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p>ADJEI J.A. (PRESIDING), BAFFOUR J.A.,
ARYENE (MRS.) J.A<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

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

</div>&nbsp;ARYENE, JA<o:p></o:p>In
an action commenced in the Circuit Court, the Appellant (hereinafter referred
to as the Petitioner) prayed for a sole relief of the dissolution of his
marriage to the Respondent on grounds that the marriage had broken down beyond
reconciliation. He attributed the breakdown of the marriage to unreasonable
behavior of the Respondent/Respondent (hereinafter referred to as Respondent) and
her amorous relationship with one Jerry Lamptey. Respondent denied the alleged
adulterous relationship and alleged that the Petitioner had a child outside
wedlock, deserted her and also contracted another marriage while still married
to her. She cross petitioned as follows:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
I.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The marriage between the parties be dissolved
on grounds of the Petitioner’s desertion and unreasonable behavior.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
II.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Respondent be given her matrimonial home
where she currently lives, the Petitioner having wasted her life and she having
nowhere else to go.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp; III.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Petitioner be ordered to pay the sum of
GHȼ150,000 as compensation for his
unreasonable behavior towards Respondent and for contracting another marriage
during the subsistence of Petitioner’s marriage to Respondent, an act which has
disgraced the Respondent beyond measure.<o:p></o:p>At
the trial, both parties laid claim to H/N 29 Koney Akpor Close Adenta, their
matrimonial home. Petitioner contended that he solely financed the purchase of
the house with a loan obtained from the Agricultural Development Bank. And that
he converted the property into a four-bedroom house without any financial
assistance from the Respondent. He told the court that in 2001, when he left
for the United States of America, extension works on the house was</main>