GH - MAVIS KYEIWAA AMAKYE VS JOSEPH BOAKYE

The Petitioner filed the Notice for Leave to serve Notice of the Petition on 31st May, 2022 praying for the reliefs below:

1. For the dissolution of the marriage celebrated between the parties on 5th January, 1998.

2. That 50% of the jointly acquired unnumbered house at Fumesua near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region be settled on the Petitioner.

3. That 50% of the money held in our Joint Account: BOAKYE JOSEPH & BOAKYE MAVIS with number 1050458925000 at Standard Chartered bank, Harper Road, Kumasi be settled on the Petitioner.

4. That the Respondent be ordered to pay legal costs and any cost incidental to this suit.

5. Any other order(s) that this Honourable Court deem meet to make.

Parties were lawfully married under the Marriage Ordinance on 5th January, 1998 at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. Thereafter the parties cohabited in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and Brescia in Italy before moving to United Kingdom. The Petitioner is a Ward House Keeper and the Respondent, a domestic caretaker at Community Health Centre in Leeds and a full time minister of the Gospel at the Good Shepherd Assemblies of God Church in Leeds.

There are three issues of the marriage namely Vania Boakye, Davina Boakye and Micheala Boakye. There has been a Court proceedings in respect of custody and maintenance of the issue of the marriage in the United Kingdom.

PETITIONER’S CASE

It is the case of Petitioner that the marriage between the parties has broken down beyond reconciliation due to the unreasonable behaviour of Respondent and adultery committed by him. That all attempts by families and church elders to settle their differences has failed.

Petitioner avers that the Respondent is married to another woman in Ghana with a child for him and anytime he visits Ghana, he cohabits with the said woman in the glare of the people in the community. That when she complained about the marriage, Respondent became angry and threatened to throw her out of the matrimonial home with her belongings. For that reason, Petitioner lodged a complaint against the Respondent in Leeds County Court.

Petitioner avers that thereafter, Respondent started coming home late and slept out of the matrimonial home on some days. That Respondent stopped giving her house keeping money for the upkeep of the children and the home. When she complained about that, Respondent indeed threw her out of the matrimonial home and the parties have been living apart since.

RESPONDENT’S CASE

Respondent in hi