SAMUEL KORMLA AGBALE vs. EKUVOR AGBALE LADZAGLA, KWASIVI AGBALE LADZAGL AND JAMES KOFI LADZAGLA [2020]DLCA8872

SAMUEL KORMLA AGBALE vs. EKUVOR AGBALE LADZAGLA, KWASIVI AGBALE LADZAGL AND JAM... [2020]DLCA8872

Date	2020-05-20
Suit No.	SUIT NO. HI/88/2018
Citation No.	[2020]DLCA8872

OFOE J.A

HONYENUGA J.A

GAISIE JA

TASSAH TAPHA TASSAH FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

SEYRAM DABI FOR DEFENDANTS RESPONDENTS

[2020]DLCA8872
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >SAMUEL KORMLA AGBALE<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/
RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>EKUVOR AGBALE LADZAGLA,
KWASIVI AGBALE LADZAGL AND JAMES KOFI LADZAGLA<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/ RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p><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;
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SUIT NO. HI/88/2018&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 20TH
MAY, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>TASSAH
TAPHA TASSAH FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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SEYRAM DABI FOR DEFENDANTS RESPONDENTS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p>OFOE
J.A, HONYENUGA J.A, GAISIE JA<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</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="text-align:center;border:none;
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</div>OFOE, J.A:<o:p></o:p>The substance
of this suit is for the determination who is entitled to Letters of
Administration to administer the estates of the deceased Mr. William Quao
Anipatie who died in 1943. The plaintiff, who claimed to be the appropriate
person to be given letters of administration was challenged by the defendants
when he applied for Letters of Administration. As required by the rules of
court the trial court ordered the plaintiff to issue a writ for the &nbsp;determination of the issue who is entitled to
administer the estates of William Anipatie. In accordance to this order the
plaintiff sued the defendants claiming the following:<o:p></o:p>“a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
A declaration that plaintiff is the rightful or appropriate person by the
pleadings to apply for the grant of Letters of Administration in this
honourable court, administer and distribute the Estates of William Quao
Anipatie(deceased)including in particular H/No D 498;4 Jones Nelso Road,
Adabraka, Accra formerly H/No. D 4588/4 Jones Nelson Road Adabraka Accra
amongst the beneficiaries of the said Estates according to law.<o:p></o:p>b.
A declaration that the Estates of William Quao Anipatie(Deceased)is located at
the matrilineal section of William Quao Anipatie family by virtue of the
customary practices and usages in force of his Akorvie Clan of Mepe as
determined on 10th November 2005 by Torgbe Sasago Adotey of Mepe as
per his arbitration award determined at Mepe in the Volta Region.<o:p></o:p>c. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order that the plaintiff should apply to administer the Estates of William Quao
Anipatie as the sole applicant to administer the said Estates to the exclusion
of the defendants and distribute same according to law.<o:p></o:p>d.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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 Estates of William Quao Anipatie, in
particular H/No D498/4 Jones Nelson Road, Adabraka, Accra<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On
the 26th July 2016 the trial judge gave judgment in favour of the
plaintiff against the defendants as will be narrated presently. It is against
this judgment, found at page 426 of the records,that the defendants have
appealed. The following grounds of appeal are found at page 438 of the records:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
learned judge erred when she failed to consider the present nature of the
property, H/No. D498/4, Jones Nelson road, Adabraka, Accra.<o:p></o:p>b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
learned Judge erred when she held that the estate of the late William Quao&nbsp; Anipatie fell on his maternal side upon his
death intestate without a living issue in accordance with the customs of the
Akrovies of Mepe in the Volta Region.<o:p></o:p>c.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
learned judge erred when she held that the Akrovies of Mepe retained Akwamu
Customs.<o:p></o:p>d.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
learned Judge erred when she accepted and/or substituted a case contrary to
what the Plaintiff himself put forward.<o:p></o:p>e.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
learned Judge erred when she held that the Plaintiff was the rightful person to
apply for letters of administration to administer and distribute the estate of
the late William Quao Anipatie which comprises solely of H/No. D498/4 Jones
Nelson road, Adabraka, Accra to the exclusion of the Defendants.<o:p></o:p>f.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
learned Judge erre</main>