JANET KWAFO AKA AKOSUA JANET vs. REV. CHARLES ANIN BRAKO & 3 ORS [2023]DLCA16022

Date	2023-05-24
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/32/2023
Citation No.	[2023]DLCA16022

MENSAH-HOMIAH JA (PRESIDING)

DARKO ASARE J. A.

OWUSU OFORI J.A.

MOSES KOFI OBAH FOR THE 4TH DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

DENNIS OPPONG WIAFE FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2023]DLCA16022
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(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>

vs.<o:p></o:p>

REV. CHARLES ANIN BRAKO &amp; 3 ORS<o:p></o:p>

(DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>

[COURT OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;

CIVIL APPEAL NO.
H1/32/2023 &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 MAY 2023<o:p></o:p>

</div>

COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>

MOSES KOFI OBAH FOR
THE 4TH DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p>

DENNIS OPPONG WIAFE
FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>

CORAM<o:p></o:p>

MENSAH-HOMIAH JA
(PRESIDING), DARKO ASARE J. A., OWUSU OFORI J.A.<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none;
mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;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>

MENSAH-HOMIAH, J.A.
INTRODUCTION:<o:p></o:p>

This
is an appeal by the 4th Defendant/Appellant against the judgment of
the High Court, Sunyani, dated 17th June 2022, by which the learned trial Judge declared
that the document dated 9th January
2012 is not the act and deed of the testator, Amma Afrah alias Nkone, and
proceeded to grant the reliefs sought by the Plaintiff/Respondent herein.<o:p></o:p>

The 4th Defendant/Appellant invokes the jurisdiction of
this Court pursuant to a Notice of Appeal filed on 6th September 2022 for a
reversal of the decision of the trial High Court together with all the
consequential orders made. For ease of reference, the Plaintiff/Respondent and
the 4th Defendant/Appellant will hereafter be referred to as Plaintiff and 4th
Defendant respectively.<o:p></o:p>

The Plaintiff is a daughter of one Amma Afrah alias Nkone
(Deceased), who is said to have died testate. The 1st and 2nd defendants are
the executors named in the document dated 9th January, 2012 and described as
the Will of Amma Afrah (Deceased). The 3rd and 4th defendants are siblings of
the plaintiff and beneficiaries under the said Will.<o:p></o:p>

In this action, the Plaintiff attacks the document dated
9th January 2012 on two grounds, namely: (i) The document is not the act and
deed of Amma Afrah, (ii) Amma Afrah lacked testamentary capacity to have
disposed of a farm which she had already gifted to the Plaintiff.<o:p></o:p>

So, by a Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim dated
19th September, 2019, the Plaintiff commenced a probate action at the Sunyani
High Court to contest the so- called Will of Amma Afrah alias Nkone (deceased),
and sought the following reliefs against the Defendants:<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:6.85pt;margin-bottom:
0in;margin-left:38.55pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:
115%;mso-list:l2 level2 lfo6;tab-stops:43.05pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">a)<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-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A
declaration that the document dated the 9th day of January 2012 and
produced as the Last Will and Testament of Amma Afrah alias Nkone is not the
act and deed of the said Amma Afrah.<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:6.9pt;margin-bottom:
0in;margin-left:38.55pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:
115%;mso-list:l2 level2 lfo6;tab-stops:43.05pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">b)