A heated legal dispute has arisen among the offspring of the late Supreme Court Justice, Dr. Seth Twum, regarding the legitimacy of a purported will attributed to their deceased father.
Among the six surviving children of the late Justice, Abena Twum and Esther Twum, have raised objections to the validity of the will, sparking a legal conflict within the family.
This legal contention has arisen just a year after the passing of their father on May 25, 2022, and his subsequent interment on July 2, 2022.
As reported by The Chronicle, Dr. Seth Twum initially had seven children, with the first child having passed away. Among the children still living, namely Esther (second), Abena (third), and Evelyn (sixth), two are contesting the legitimacy of the will.
The plaintiffs are challenging the authenticity of the will against their half-siblings, namely Audrey Twum (fourth), Seth Kwame Twum (fifth), and Leonora Nana Yaa Twum (seventh), in addition to their mother Julie Twum.
The core of the dispute stems from the argument that the mothers of the plaintiff children were not legally married to their father at the times of their births, whereas Madam Julie was the legal spouse of the deceased.
The contested will, currently undergoing examination at the High Court, reportedly excludes any mention of the plaintiff children in the allocation of the late Justice Twum’s assets. These assets encompass diverse holdings, including land, investments, and funds maintained in his Barclays Bank accounts in both Ghana and the United Kingdom.
The properties in question consist of a Cantonments property leased to the Free Zones Authority, an adjacent ICON property to the American Embassy, a dual plot at Trassacco Valley, a residential estate in East Legon, and a tract of land in Abelenkpe – all situated within Accra.
The plaintiffs, via their legal action initiated with a writ of summons filed in January of the current year, contend that the defendants, purported executors and trustees of the disputed will, might have tampered with its content.
The plaintiffs assert that the circumstances surrounding the deposition of the alleged will at the High Court Registry on June 7, 2022, and its subsequent reading on December 21, 2022, were tainted by forgery, rendering the will null and void.
Within their legal recourse, the plaintiffs request an injunction to prevent the defendants, along with their associates, agents, and other parties, from engaging with any assets belonging to Dr. Seth Twum’s estate until Letters of Administration have been granted.
Furthermore, they seek an order for a comprehensive account of the assets held by the defendants and a reimbursement of the costs incurred in the legal action, including legal fees.