Richard Nii Armah Quaye and Joana Quaye
Joana Quaye, the ex-wife of billionaire businessman, Richard Nii Armah Quaye, popularly known as RNAQ, has rejected a GH₵2 million settlement offer made to her by the estranged husband, as the legal battle against a court-awarded settlement stretches on.
The ex-wife through her lawyers at Dame & Partners has made a counter proposal of GH₵40 million as financial provision “in the spirit of peace and conciliation.”
A letter in response to the settlement offer made by RANQ through his Lawyers at Sory @ Law said the ex-wife is willing to accept the proposed GH₵40 million “even though the same is not just and equitable having regard to the wealth and properties acquired during the sustenance of the marriage.”
Appeal
Joana Quyae, who had been married to the businessman for 16 years, resulting in three children, is challenging the court’s judgment delivered by Justice Kofi Dorgu, granting to her only GH₵300,000 out of the well-known “vast fortune” she built with the rich businessman over the years.
The notice of appeal avers that despite the evidence led at trial to show that Richard Nii Armah Quaye established Quick Credit & Investment Micro-Credit Limited (renamed Bills Micro Credit Limited) with Joana Quaye as shareholder, out of which he built his wealth and established numerous other companies, the judge granted to the ex-wife only one-third share of a house at Dansoman, GH₵300,000 as financial provision and GH₵5,000 to be paid by RNAQ each month for the upkeep of all the three children.
The appeal avers that the “final orders” of the trial court are “inconsistent with the principles and framework governing the identification and equitable distribution of marital property upon the dissolution of marriage enshrined in the Constitution and laws of Ghana, and affirmed by the Supreme Court of Ghana.”
Injunction
She has since filed an application before a High Court seeking to stop him from selling off any of his properties pending the determination of an appeal against the court’s decision.
The application is seeking to restrain him from selling, transferring, disposing of or in any way alienating shares in a long list of companies, luxury vehicles, and expensive properties until an appeal over their divorce settlement is finally determined by the Court of Appeal.
Offer
During the pendency of the case, the businessman through his lawyer offered to settle the matter by paying an “enhanced” GH₵2 million alimony instead of the GH₵300,000 ordered by the court “on the principle of amicably settling the matter with his ex-wife.”
Response
But the ex-wife has rejected the sum and instead proposed GH₵40 million as alimony.
She is also asking for two five-bedroom residential properties located at a prime area in Accra, preferably, East Legon, Cantonments or Tse Ado.
Again, Madam Quaye is asking for two new vehicles – one being an SUV or four-wheel drive and the other a saloon car.
“Our client has no opposition to being given a Mercedes Benz E-class saloon car, save that same must be brand new. “It is noted that the one Jaguar F vehicle awarded to our client is a 2010 model and was registered in 2014. The other is a 2018 model registered in 2018,” the response pointed out.
She is further proposing the payment of GH₵30,000 for all the three children – GH₵10,000 monthly per child for their upkeep instead of the GH₵5,000 awarded by the High Court.
“We have no opposition to the filing of terms of settlement reflective of the understanding reached between the parties,” the response added.
Complete Silence
Meanwhile, her lawyers have taken issues with RNAQ’s complete silence on other matters raised in the appeal, regarding the transfer of her shares in Bills Micro Credit Limited without her knowledge and the alleged abuse and violence she suffered during the marriage.
“We hereby indicate that a meaningful amicable resolution of the dispute between the parties must be comprehensive” by taking the other issues into account, her lawyers said.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak