Daddy Lumba: Kumasi High Court Judge Details Why Akosua Serwaa Lost Case Against Odo Broni
- The trial judge in Akosua Serwaa and Odo Broni's court case explained her decision to throw out the first wife's demand to be named Daddy Lumba's sole legal wife
- Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur said Akosua Serwaa's lawyer failed to authenticate her German marriage certificate to prove she married the musician under the ordinance
- She ruled that both women should be seen as spouses and ordered Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu to ensure they jointly perform the widowhood rites at Daddy Lumba's funeral
- In an interview with YEN.com.gh, journalist Stella Annan shared her thoughts on the never-ending Akosua Serwaa and Odo Broni saga
The trial judge in the Daddy Lumba widowhood case has detailed why she ruled against Akosua Serwaa’s petition to be declared as the late singer’s sole legal wife.
Source: Facebook
Akosua Serwaa, who married Daddy Lumba in the early 1990s, sued Odo Broni, the late musician’s second wife, at the Kumasi High Court following his death.
She asked the court to declare her as the late musician's sole legal spouse and, subsequently, the only person allowed to perform widowhood rites at his funeral.
However, on November 28, 2025, the Kumasi High Court delivered a ruling that stirred drama on social media.
Trial judge Dorinda Smith Arthur (PhD) ruled that Akosua Serwaa failed to prove she was legally married to Daddy Lumba under the ordinance in Germany.
She added that both women should be considered the late musician’s customary wives and ordered Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu to let both of them perform the widowhood rites at his funeral.
Below is a YouTube video with details of the High Court ruling against Akosua Serwaa.
Judge explains Akosua Serwaa, Odo Broni ruling
Following the trial, a document containing the full legal ruling delivered by Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur has emerged on social media.
The judge explained her decision, noting that Akosua Serwaa’s lawyers failed to prove the authenticity of the German marriage certificate they provided to the court.
According to the ruling, since a Ghanaian court could not be expected to understand German law, an expert witness should have been provided to explain it to the court.
“The courts of a country is presumed to be well versed only with the laws of its country and can only apply its local law, and foreign law operates as a question of fact and not as law. This is to state that a foreign law must be proven by the party, usually through an expert witness or evidence,” she stated.
The judge said that due to the failure to provide an expert witness, the court had to consider German law to be the same as Ghanaian law.
In that instance, the failure to provide a marriage certificate with the signature of the couple getting married, as well as some other procedural lapses, ensured that the marriage certificate tendered into evidence was inadmissible.
“Upon a look at Exhibit B and B1 being the purported marriage certificate and its translated copy and also the purported original that was brought before the court by Counsel for the Plaintiff for the court to compare after the Plaintiff had closed her case, the court agrees with counsel for the Defendants that the purported marriage certificate as submitted has no probative value. Here, the purported marriage certificate is a foreign document bearing a foreign official signature,” the ruling stated.
The court ruled that without the ability to prove her German civil marriage, Akosua Serwaa could only be considered Daddy Lumba’s wife under Ghanaian customary law, which did not prohibit a man from marrying more than one wife.
Justice Dorinda Smith concluded her ruling by ordering Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu to allow both women to perform widowhood rites at Daddy Lumba’s funeral.
Below is a Facebook post with details of the full ruling.
Journalist analyses Akosua Serwaa-Odo Broni ruling
In an interview with YEN.com.gh, journalist Stella Annan shared her thoughts on the never-ending Akosua Serwaa and Odo Broni saga.
"This court case is a big lesson, especially to married couples, regarding legalities concerning the type of marriage you are practising, whether traditional or ordinance marriage. Regarding the ruling, it appears Akosua Serwaa's lawyer could not do due diligence to establish her ordinance marriage certificate, hence the court's decision to declare both her and Odo Broni as traditional wives of Daddy Lumba as they prepare for his funeral," she stated.
Source: TikTok
Akosua Serwaa, Daddy Lumba's wedding video surfaces
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that alleged footage of Akosua Serwaa's wedding to Daddy Lumba surfaced on social media after the Kumasi High Court ruling.
The social media video appeared to show the couple in high spirits as they signed their official documents to be recognised husband and wife in Germany in 2004.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
