Fight over Sampong Bediako’s body - Family sues children

The extended family of the late Ebenezer Sampong Bediako, a former pharmaceutical businessman of the Bediako Brothers fame, has sued some of his children, seeking possession of the body.

Mr Bediako, who had 47 children, including some of the big players in the pharmaceutical industry, died on December 26, 2020.

His extended family has dragged four of the children to the Nsawam High Court, accusing the children of unduly delaying the funeral of the late businessman and also sidelining the family from participating in the funeral preparation.

According to the plaintiffs, the defendants have deposited the body of the deceased at a morgue but have refused the family access to the body.

Case of Sampong Bediako's family

It is the case of the plaintiffs that per customs, the body belonged to the extended family and ,therefore, it should be released to them to enable the family conduct the final funeral rites for their kinsman.

“The plaintiffs, as elders of the family of the deceased, are the rightful persons entitled to have the body and organise the funeral rites of the deceased,” the plaintiffs argued.

The family further argued that the delay in burying the deceased and performing the funeral rites had caused the family embarrassment, stress and frustration.  

The suit was filed by the Head of Family-Opanyin Anom Boansi and three siblings of the late businessman- Ernest Sampong Kofi Badu, Elizabeth Animwaa Yeboah and Elizabeth Yaa Dansowaa.

The defendants are T Cribb & Sons Ghana, the Funeral home where the deceased has been deposited and four children of the deceased Ernest Sampong Bediako, Kofi Amoafo Bediako, Nana Yaw Abrah Bediako and Kwasi Bediako.

Reliefs

The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that they are the rightful persons entitled to “have possessory right over the remains of Ebenezer Sampong Bediako and organise the funeral rites of the deceased”.

Another relief is an order directed at the funeral home to hand over the remains of the deceased to the plaintiffs or their lawful representatives.

In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs said after the death of the deceased, the children, including the defendants, met the external family and agreed to have the funeral together.

According to the plaintiffs, the family and the children agreed to have the one-week celebrations on January 3, 2021 and the final funeral rites in May 2021.

They accused the four children of refusing to release the remains for the family for burial and funeral ceremony.

“The burial and funeral celebration of the deceased has been unduly postponed and delayed as several dates were subsequently fixed to hold the funeral.

These dates were November 12, March 22 and October, 2022,” the plaintiff argued.

Writer’s email: emma.hawkson@graphic.com.gh