Following the passing of the distinguished Justice (Dr.) Seth Twum, who was a former member of Ghana’s Supreme Court, a fierce legal battle has emerged over his estate. The late Justice Twum, who passed away on May 25, 2022, was laid to rest on July 2, 2022. Now, a little over a year later, the tranquility surrounding his legacy has been shattered as two of his children have brought forth a lawsuit against four other family members and their stepmother, claiming that their father’s last will and testament had been forged.
Abena Twum and Esther Twum, both children of the late Justice (Plaintiffs), have taken the extraordinary step of contesting the validity of a will purportedly left behind by their esteemed father. According to their claims, the will had allegedly been forged by certain former employees of his law firm, as well as one of their own siblings. The dispute has now landed in the High Court, where the Plaintiffs are striving to prove the illegitimacy of the contested will.
The Ghanaian Chronicle newspaper, in its report dated August 23, 2823, highlighted key details surrounding this contentious legal battle. The contested will, submitted to the High Court Registry on June 7, 2022, and read on December 21, 2022, supposedly excluded the Plaintiffs from any inheritance of the late Justice Twum’s substantial estate. This estate reportedly comprises various valuable assets, including land, investments, and significant sums of money held in Barclays Bank accounts in Ghana and the United Kingdom.
The properties at the center of this inheritance dispute encompass a range of prime locations in Accra, Ghana. These include a Cantonments building leased to the Free Zones Authority, an ICON property situated adjacent to the American Embassy, a double plot at Trassacco Valley, a residential property in East Legon, and a parcel of land in Abelenkpe. The plaintiffs, Esther and Abena, argue that the will’s exclusion of their names from the distribution of these assets is a grave injustice, given their rightful place as the late Justice’s children.
The intricate family dynamics further add complexity to this legal battle. The late Justice Twum was originally a father to seven children. The plaintiffs, Esther (second child) and Abena (third child) have initiated the legal proceedings, contesting the claims of their half-siblings (Defendants): Audrey Twum (fourth and a lawyer), Seth Kwame Twum (fifth), Evelyn (sixth), and Leonora Nana Yaa Twum (seventh). The Defendants’ mother, Julie Twum, is the legal wife of the late Justice, and they contest the plaintiffs’ claims of exclusion from inheritance based on the circumstances of their respective births.
The Plaintiffs argue that their mothers were not married to their fathers at the time of their births, while Julie Twum was the recognized legal wife. The plaintiffs also claim that the will’s deposit at the High Court Registry and the subsequent reading were riddled with forgery and irregularities, rendering it invalid and void.
In their pursuit of justice, the Plaintiffs have approached the High Court with a range of prayers. They seek an Order of Injunction to prevent the Defendants and their associates from dealing with any properties belonging to the late Justice Twum until Letters of Administration have been granted. Additionally, the Plaintiffs demand an order for accounts on the properties owned by the late Justice that are currently in the possession of the Defendants.
Justice (Dr.) Seth Twum’s legacy is underscored by his tenure on the Supreme Court bench, where he served from 2002 to 2007. Born on March 20, 1937, he received his secondary education at Achimota School. His appointment to the Supreme Court was made in July 2002, and he was successfully vetted and approved later that year. Alongside Justice Georgina Theodora Wood and Justice Stephen Alan Brobbey, he was sworn into office in November 2002.
