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In a surprising twist in the ongoing widowhood dispute involving the late highlife icon Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, the plaintiff, Akosua Serwaa Fosu, produced a set of photographs she claims capture their civil marriage ceremony held in Bornheim, Germany, in 2004. The unexpected move during Monday’s hearing momentarily unsettled the defence.
The presentation of the photographs immediately sparked objections. Lawyers for the defence described the images as last-minute “surprises” and questioned both their authenticity and the timing of their submission.
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The plaintiff’s lawyer, William Kusi, introduced the photographs while cross-examining the first defendant, Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu, head of the Ekuona family of Parkoso. He invited the witness to identify the man in the images. After examining them carefully, Abusuapanin Owusu confirmed that the photographs indeed featured his nephew, the late Daddy Lumba.
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That acknowledgement prompted defence counsel Dominic Kwadwo Osei and Kwadwo Owusu to lodge formal protests. They argued that the defence had not been afforded the opportunity to cross-examine the proper witnesses in order to verify the images, insisting that the material was introduced far too late in the proceedings.
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When Her Ladyship Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur sought clarification regarding the origin of the photographs, counsel for the plaintiff explained that the documents had only just arrived from Germany as part of a larger set connected to the alleged marriage. He stated that the late arrival made earlier filing impossible. Despite the objections, the court admitted the photographs into evidence.
Scrutiny then shifted to the defence’s own photographic exhibits. Under further cross-examination, plaintiff counsel questioned Abusuapanin Owusu about how he had acquired the photos previously tendered before the court. He replied that the images were given to him by Priscilla Ofori, popularly known as Odo Broni, the second defendant, at the late musician’s residence.
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Asked why Odo Broni appeared to be wearing a wedding ring on her left hand in some of the photographs, Abusuapanin Owusu responded: “Marriage rings are normally worn on the fourth finger on the left hand.”
When counsel inquired about a particular image showing Daddy Lumba and Priscilla, the defence objected once again. The judge overruled the objection, and the witness clarified that the picture did not depict a wedding ceremony but rather “a couple dressed and ready to go out.”
Tensions intensified when plaintiff counsel suggested that one of the defence’s images may have been edited. He pointed to apparent inconsistencies in proportions and similarities with other documents, asserting that the image “cannot be a photograph of Daddy Lumba and Odo Broni.”
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Abusuapanin Owusu replied: “I was not there when the photograph was taken.” When counsel referenced earlier testimony from a defence witness who had claimed no photographs were taken during the supposed marriage ceremony at the musician’s home, the witness conceded the point.
With public interest growing, the Kumasi High Court is expected to determine who legally qualifies as the late musician’s spouse when it delivers judgment on Friday, 28 November. The ruling is anticipated to carry significant implications for any claims to the late legend’s estate.