CHARLOTTE ADULEY HAMMOND AND YOONYAKI ADJATEY vs. DR. EDMUND ADUKWEI HAMMOND AND SETH SABANG HAMMOND [2023]DLSC16107

CHARLOTTE ADULEY HAMMOND AND YOONYAKI ADJATEY vs. DR. EDMUND ADUKWEI HAMMOND AND... [2023]DLSC16107

Date	2023-03-15
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/68/2022
Citation No.	[2023]DLSC16107

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC (PRESIDING)

PROF. KOTEY JSC

OWUSU (MS.) JSC

LOVELACE-JOHNSON (MS.) JSC

AMADU JSC

EMMANUEL HAMMOND ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS/ RESPONDENTS.

A. G. BOADU ESQ. FOR THE DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS/APPELLANTS

[2023]DLSC16107
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >CHARLOTTE
ADULEY HAMMOND AND YOONYAKI ADJATEY<o:p></o:p>

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

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

<a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a>DR. EDMUND ADUKWEI HAMMOND AND &nbsp;&nbsp;SETH SABANG HAMMOND&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;(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENTS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>

[SUPREME
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>

CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/68/2022&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: 15TH MARCH &nbsp;2023&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

</div>

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

EMMANUEL
HAMMOND ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS/<o:p></o:p>

RESPONDENTS.<o:p></o:p>

A. G. BOADU ESQ. FOR THE DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS/APPELLANTS <o:p></o:p>

</div>

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

BAFFOE-BONNIE
JSC (PRESIDING), PROF. KOTEY JSC, OWUSU (MS.) JSC, LOVELACE-JOHNSON (MS.) JSC, AMADU
JSC&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;text-align:center;
line-height:normal;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">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>

&nbsp;

AMADU JSC<o:p></o:p>

INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p>

(1)<span style="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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
My Lords, this appeal invites us to consider and
determine two principal issues relative to the law on the administration of the
estate of a deceased intestate prior to the enactment of the Intestate
Succession Act, 1985 (PNDCL 111). The first issue beggars answer to the
question whether it is permissible for an administrator to adopt an earlier
distribution made by another prior to his appointment as administrator ; and
secondly, what amounts to fair and equitable distribution, for the purposes of
the administration of the estate of a deceased? This latter issue is more
germane, having regard to the absence or inadequacy of a legislative framework
as provided under PNDCL 111.<o:p></o:p>

BACKGROUND AND
FACTS <o:p></o:p>

(2)<span style="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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Samuel Armah Hammond died intestate sometime in
1972. In his lifetime, he was married to three wives -Madam Theresa Lamiley
Lamifio; Madam Korkor Dinsey and Madam Larkai Adegyan. These wives bore him 12
children including the Plaintiffs, the 1st Defendant and the 2nd
Defendant’s father (Lionel Adokwei
Hammond). The Plaintiffs’ mother was Madam Theresa Lamiley Lamifo whiles 1st
Defendant and Lionel’s mother is also, Madam Larkai Adegyan. 2nd
Defendant is a nephew to Plaintiffs and 1st Defendant. His father,
Lionel Adukwei Hammond is a maternal sibling to 1st Defendant and
Plaintiffs.<o:p></o:p>