Intermittent power outages disrupted proceedings at the Kumasi High Court in the case in which Akosua Serwaa Fosuh is seeking recognition as the legal wife of the late highlife musician Charles Kwadwo Fosuh, popularly known as Daddy Lumba.
The hearing was interrupted twice while counsel for Serwaa Fosuh cross-examined the head of the Ekuona family at Parkoso, who is also the first defendant in the matter.
Serwaa Fosuh is asking the court to declare her the only surviving legal wife of the late musician and therefore entitled to perform his widowhood rites. She is also seeking an order restraining Priscila Ofori, also known as Odo Broni—who has six children with Daddy Lumba—from presenting herself as the late musician’s wife.
Friday’s hearing, however, was marred by intermittent power outages, with proceedings halted twice within 20 minutes.
The first outage occurred at 2:49 p.m., just as Serwaa Fosuh’s counsel, William Kusi, cross-examined Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu, head of Daddy Lumba’s extended family at Parkoso.
The development prompted the trial judge, Justice Dorinda Smith-Arthur, to exclaim, “My goodness! Did you save it?” Her concern stemmed from the fact that court records were at risk, as computers used by court recorders had gone off mid-typing.
With no sign of power being restored after more than 15 minutes, the judge adjourned the hearing.
Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu’s testimony was therefore suspended and the case adjourned to Monday, November 24.
Three minutes after proceedings ended and the judge had retired to her chambers, power was restored at 3:08 p.m.
But just as Justice Smith-Arthur returned to the courtroom to resume proceedings, the lights went out again at 3:10 p.m., causing frustration among judicial staff, journalists, lawyers, the plaintiff, and relatives of the late musician.
Power was restored at 3:12 p.m., allowing the hearing to continue.
When proceedings resumed, Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu, testifying under oath, told the court he helped organise the funeral of Amma Saah, the musician’s mother, and saw Daddy Lumba at the event.
He said he advised the musician to attend the funeral later in the afternoon—around 5 p.m.—because his early presence could disrupt the event.
When asked by counsel for the plaintiff to state the year in which Amma Saah died, he said he did not recall. Counsel suggested 2011, but he maintained he could not remember the date.
Source: Ohemeng Tawiah
