Key witness outlines why Akosua Serwaa’s marriage documents were rejected in court

A central witness in the long-running court battle over the marital status of the late highlife icon Daddy Lumba has questioned the authenticity of documents presented by Akosua Serwaa, insisting they did not meet the legal standard of a valid marriage certificate.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, James Beniako Boateng — a principal witness for Priscilla Ofori Atta, popularly known as Odo Broni — argued that the document tendered in court lacked the basic requirements of validity.

He stated that the certificate had no signature and was never authenticated by the German consulate, rendering it legally unreliable.

Mr Boateng further maintained that Daddy Lumba lawfully contracted a customary marriage with Odo Broni on April 10, 2010, at his residence in Accra, in the presence of both families and with all traditional rites fully observed.

“I was chosen as a neutral witness. Daddy Lumba properly married Odo Broni on April 10, 2010. The marriage was done customarily and all the rites were completed.

The only downside was that no pictures were taken during the ceremony itself; photos were taken later,” he explained. “Both families were present, and everything took place at Daddy Lumba’s home in Accra. We are satisfied with the court’s decision because that was what the family head prescribed for peaceful coexistence from the beginning.”

He added that the court ultimately rejected the documents presented by Akosua Serwaa because they were neither original nor certified. “What was submitted was not even a marriage certificate but a family book. There was no signature, no consular certification, and the documents were not originals,” he stressed.

His remarks come on the back of a landmark ruling by the Kumasi High Court, which recognised both Odo Broni and Akosua Serwaa Fosuh as surviving spouses of the late musician.

The decision effectively ends months of intense legal and public contest over the rightful widow and control of funeral and widowhood rites. Following the judgment, both women have now been authorised to jointly perform the widowhood rites of the late Daddy Lumba.