A Kumasi High Court has admitted video evidence in the ongoing legal battle over funeral rites for late highlife musician Daddy Lumba, sparking heated debate between opposing legal teams on Monday, 17 November.
The video clip features the late Charles Kwadwo Fosuh, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, discussing who performed in-law rites at his mother’s funeral. Lawyers representing Akosua Serwaa Fosuh, who claims to be the musician’s legal spouse, objected to admitting the footage into evidence.
Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu, head of Daddy Lumba’s extended family, tendered the short video through his legal team after capturing it during a Case Management Conference. The footage details how the musician’s first love, Theresah Abebresse, participated in funeral rites for his late mother, Amma Saah.
Akosua Serwaa Fosuh seeks a court order recognizing her as the sole surviving wife and the only person authorized to perform widowhood rites for Daddy Lumba. Her claim forms the foundation of the current legal proceedings, which have drawn significant public attention given the musician’s cultural prominence.
During cross examination, her lawyer, Georgina Osei Bonsu, argued that someone had altered the video and it does not reflect accounts from the plaintiff or the late musician’s family. She presented photographic evidence supporting her claim that Akosua Serwaa Fosuh performed the rites in question.
Counsel for the first defendant, Dominic Kwadwo Osei, suggested that a refusal to participate in certain rites had strained the relationship between Akosua Serwaa Fosuh and Daddy Lumba. He also implied that the late musician’s absence at Fosuh’s mother’s funeral in January 2018 reflected emotional distress linked to the dispute.
The court has been hearing arguments over the validity of the marriage certificate submitted by Akosua Serwaa Fosuh. This document represents a central piece of evidence in determining her legal status as the musician’s spouse and her corresponding rights to perform traditional rites.
Lawyers for other parties, including Priscilla Ofori, known as Odo Broni, have sought to clarify the relationship between the plaintiff’s attorney and the Fosuh family. These inquiries appear aimed at establishing potential conflicts of interest or family connections that might influence the proceedings.
Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur presides over the case, which is expected to receive a ruling on 25 November 2025. Cross examination continues daily, with proceedings on Tuesday, 18 November, lasting seven hours as legal teams present competing narratives about the musician’s relationships and family obligations.
The case highlights complex intersections between customary marriage practices, statutory law, and traditional funeral rites in Ghana. Widowhood rites carry significant cultural meaning, and disputes over who holds the right to perform them often reflect deeper questions about marital legitimacy and family recognition.
Daddy Lumba, whose real name was Charles Kwadwo Fosuh, remains one of Ghana’s most celebrated highlife musicians, with a career spanning decades and numerous hits that shaped the genre. His passing triggered not only national mourning but also legal complications stemming from questions about his marital status and family structure.
The video evidence now admitted by the court could prove decisive in establishing which woman held recognized status as his partner during his lifetime. Traditional in-law rites at parental funerals typically involve recognized spouses, making participation in such ceremonies potential indicators of marital standing within customary frameworks.
Multiple parties have emerged in this dispute, suggesting the musician may have maintained relationships with several women throughout his life. Ghanaian customary law recognizes various forms of marriage, including traditional ceremonies that may not involve formal registration, complicating efforts to determine legal spousal status.
The lengthy cross examination sessions indicate the complexity of evidence being presented and the thoroughness with which the court is examining competing claims. Seven hour proceedings reflect the detailed nature of testimony and the stakes involved for parties seeking recognition of their relationships with the late musician.
As the 25 November ruling date approaches, public interest remains high in how the court will navigate customary practices, statutory requirements, and conflicting evidence to determine who holds legitimate rights to perform final rites for one of Ghana’s musical legends.
