ABADOO v. AWOTWI

The widow of the late Jacob William Armah sued Armah’s sister in the Cape Coast court to enforce Armah’s death‑bed dispositions of his self‑acquired property. While hospitalized for surgery, Armah orally directed that his uncompleted two‑storey house at Jukwa Road be given to his wife and children; that his mother should occupy one outhouse apartment (with the sister permitted to reside there); that the other apartment be rented with net rents used to maintain his mother and the remainder shared between wife and sister; that his Standard Bank savings be used by his wife to complete the house; and that specified sums from his Post Office Savings Bank be distributed to family, children at Nkum, the sister’s children, and Christ Church, with the balance shared between wife and sister. Rev. Mr. Sekyiama recorded and typed the directions, which Armah signed and thumb‑printed; a copy was deposited in court and read at the family meeting, where the sister objected. After reviewing authorities on samansiw and assessing conflicting testimony, the court held the dispositions valid, granted the widow’s reliefs except the rent share for uncertainty, and awarded costs.