Daddy Lumba: Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur Receives Major Honour After Akosua Serwaa-Odo Broni Ruling
- Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur, the Kumasi High Court judge who delivered the highly publicised ruling in the Akosua Serwaa vs. Odo Broni widowhood case, has made a rare public appearance
- She appeared at a Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) event on December 5, where she looked stylish and cheerful while receiving an award
- Justice Dorinda Smith's rare public appearance and demeanour sparked reactions online, just one week after dismissing Akosua Serwaa's lawsuit
Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur, the trial judge in the Akosua Serwaa vs Odo Broni case, has stirred reactions online after a rare public appearance.
Source: UGC
The Kumasi High Court judge gained fame in Ghana after her controversial ruling in the landmark case on November 29, 2025.
After highlife legend Daddy Lumba’s death, a debate emerged over who should be his rightful widow, as he had two wives, Akosua Serwaa and Priscilla Ofori Atta, whom he called Odo Broni.
In October, Akosua Serwaa took the case to court, seeking a declaration that she was the only legal wife of the late musician.
She claimed that she married Daddy Lumba under German civil law on 23rd December 2004 in Bornheim, and that under German law, he could not legally enter into another marriage.
After a two-week trial, Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur ruled against Akosua Serwaa, stating that both women should be recognised as the legal wives of Daddy Lumba.
JUSAG honours Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur
In a video seen by YEN.com.gh on the Instagram page of GhOne TV on December 5, Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur made an appearance at an event held by the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG).
It was her first public appearance after the Daddy Lumba court case.
In the video, the High Court judge appeared fashionably dressed and in a good mood as she walked into an event auditorium, where she was directed to take centre-stage.
She was then presented with an award by the Board members and management of the Judicial Service Staff Co-Operative Fund (JUSCOFund).
Justice Smith was honoured for her instrumental role in creating the fund, which was established for the welfare of all members of JUSAG.
The Instagram video of Justice Dorinda Smith being presented with an award is below.
Justice Dorinda Smith explains Akosua Serwaa ruling
In her ruling, Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur (PhD) stated that Akosua Serwaa failed to prove she was legally married to Daddy Lumba under the ordinance in Germany.
She slammed the plaintiffs for failing to provide an expert witness to explain German law to her since she could not be expected to understand the laws of a foreign country.
She also rejected the validity of the marriage certificate provided to the court.
Below is a Facebook post with details of Justice Dorinda Smith-Arthur’s full ruling.
Source: TikTok
Daddy Lumba's funeral faces new injunction
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that Daddy Lumba's funeral faced a new risk of cancellation after a new court case was filed.
Daddy Lumba's elder sister, Ernestina Fosuh, and others filed a new case against Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu, nicknamed Tupac, over the alleged withdrawal of funds from the late singer's funeral account.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
