IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM CORNELIUS DANIELS vs. IN THE MATTER FOR AN APPLICATION OF THE GRANT OF LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION (De bonis non) BY MS. ELIZABETH OTOO (nee DANIELS) [2023]DLHC17106

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM CORNELIUS DANIELS vs. IN THE MATTER FOR A... [2023]DLHC17106

Date	2023-06-29
Suit No.	SUIT NO. E4/40/21
Citation No.	[2023]DLHC17106

HIS LORDSHIP DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE J.

EMMANUEL KWAKU BECKLEY ESQ

EDMUND ACQUAAH-ARHIN ESQ

[2023]DLHC17106
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="_Hlk152146143"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;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;;color:#00B0F0">IN THE MATTER
OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM CORNELIUS DANIELS </a><a name="_Hlk152146143"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;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;;color:#00B0F0"> </a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;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;">(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:
12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;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;;
color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:
12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;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;;
color:#00B0F0">IN THE MATTER FOR AN APPLICATION OF THE GRANT OF LETTERS OF
ADMINISTRATION (De bonis non) BY MS. ELIZABETH OTOO (nee DANIELS)<span style="font-size:
12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;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;;
color:#00B0F0"> <span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;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;">(DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
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;">[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
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;">&nbsp;<div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

</div><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;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;">CORAM <o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE J.<span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;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;;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: black; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:
solid black 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;
mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;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;">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>A caveat is a written notice given by someone
(the caveator) which is filed at court to prevent probate or letters of
administration being granted. The entry of the caveat prevents the grant of
probate or letters of administration being issued without the caveator first
being consulted or being allowed to make representations to court about the
matter.<o:p></o:p>This ruling is in respect of
a caveat filed by the caveators herein, William Cornelius Daniels and Margaret
Daniels against the grant of Letters of Administration (De bonis non) applied
by Ms. Elizabeth Otoo (nee Daniels).<o:p></o:p>Background<o:p></o:p>The late William Cornelius
Daniels died intestate on 9th November, 1960. Letters of
administration relating to his estate was granted by the High Court, Sekondi on
the 30th December, 1961 to Esther Daniels and Victor Burg Essilfie,
wife and customary successor respectively. Both Esther Daniels and Victor Burg
Essilfie are now deceased.<o:p></o:p>On 3rd February,
2021 Applicant herein filed an application for grant of letters of
administration to enable her to complete the administration of the estate.
According to Applicant, Esther Daniels and Victor Burg Essilfie to whom the
Letters of Administration was granted have died without completing the
administration and that being the granddaughter of Esther Daniels, she is
praying for Letters of Administration to administer the portion of the estate
which is yet to be administered. On 16th February, 2021 Caveators
herein filed Notice of Caveat pursuant to Order 66 Rule 11 (1) of CI 47.<o:p></o:p>Submissions
<o:p></o:p>Counsel for Applicant
premised his submission on Order 66 Rule 55(2) of CI 47 for the proposition
that the court shall make a grant to a person in respect of the unadministered
assets of an estate if the original administrators die without completing the
administration of the estate. Counsel submitted that one Judith Daniels, mother
of the Applicant substituted the said Esther Daniels in the administration of
the estate and that being a child of the said Judith Daniels, Applicant is
clothed wi</main>