Private legal practitioner, Prince Benson Mankotam, has urged the public to avoid hastily criticising lawyers involved in the high-profile marriage dispute between the late highlife legend, Charles Kwadwo Fosu (Daddy Lumba) and Akosua Serwaa Fosu, stressing that outsiders rarely know the full circumstances behind legal decisions.
Speaking on Starr Showbiz with Feeling Daddy on Starr 103.5 FM on Saturday, November 29, 2025, the Senior Associate at Edfields Attorneys said it was improper to conclude that Serwaa’s lawyers failed in their duties based solely on the outcome of the case.
Mankotam explained that criticising legal professionals publicly without knowing the complete facts is unfair, as many actions taken in legal practice are influenced by instructions, strategy, and details that outsiders may never see.
“We are advised to act slowly when it comes to criticising our fellow lawyers in public because sometimes you are not privy to all the information and the circumstances around that engagement,” he said.
“You will not be in a better place to know whether the lawyer was inadvertent to certain things or did not act professionally. I will not judge them,” he added.
READ: Early legal lapses in 2018 letter may have weakened Akosua Serwaa’s case – Lawyer Prince Mankotam
While acknowledging that “certain things could have been done better” in the case, he maintained that any conclusions about lapses must be drawn only after the judgment is studied thoroughly.
Background
The caution comes a day after the High Court in Kumasi ruled that both Akosua Serwaa Fosuh and Priscilla Ofori Atta, popularly known as Odo Broni, are lawful wives of the late musician, legally known as Charles Kwadwo Fosu.
Serwaa had asked the court to declare her the sole surviving spouse, claiming her alleged 2004 civil marriage with the musician in Germany superseded all other marital claims. But the court, presided over by Justice Dorinda Smith-Arthur, dismissed the request on November 28, 2025.
READ: Serwah Fosuh, Odo Broni are both lawful wives of Daddy Lumba – Court declares
The court found that Serwaa failed to produce an original or certified true copy of the marriage certificate and instead submitted extracts whose consistency and authenticity were questioned. The defence also argued that a customary divorce had taken place and that Odo Broni had contracted a valid customary marriage with the late artiste and lived with him for more than 15 years.
The ruling allows both women to perform widowhood rites and participate in funeral and estate-related matters. The court’s full reasoning is expected to be released on December 1, 2025.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
