An elder sister of celebrated highlife legend Charles Kwadwo Fosuh, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, has told a Kumasi High Court that even though she was aware of her late brother’s long relationship with Priscilla Ofori, also called Odo Broni, the two were never legally married.
Ernestina Fosuh, also known as Akosua Brempomaah, testified that although the relationship produced six children — including a third-born named after her — there was no form of marriage between the pair.
The court is currently determining whether a marriage existed between Daddy Lumba and Priscilla Ofori, a claim being disputed by Akosua Serwaa Fosuh, who insists she is the lawful wife of the late musician.
Madam Serwaa wants the court to recognise her as the sole surviving spouse entitled to perform widowhood rites, and to restrain Priscilla Ofori from presenting herself as the musician’s wife.
While testifying before Her Ladyship Dorinda Smith-Arthur, Ernestina said her brother shared “almost everything” with her, including details of his relationship with Odo Broni. She added that the musician had moved back to Ghana to work on a housing project and seek treatment for a back injury from a lorry accident.
She explained that Serwaa did not join her husband in Ghana because he advised against frequent travel due to high flight costs and an alleged €50,000 loan he took from a German financial institution.
However, defence lawyer Dominic Kwadwo Osei disputed the existence of such a loan, pointing out that the witness had no proof. Ernestina insisted the information was based on what her brother had told her and said the documents were “written in Dutch” and stored on her phone.
Counsel further noted that Serwaa’s own reply dated 29 October 2025 indicated a €100,000 loan, not €50,000, casting doubt on Ernestina’s testimony. She maintained she had spoken truthfully.
Ernestina also told the court that when her brother fell ill, it was Odo Broni who lived with him and cared for him, while she supported them with whatever they needed.
She reaffirmed that Daddy Lumba married Akosua Serwaa through customary rites at Bomso in 1991 and later through a civil ceremony in Germany in 2004 — events she said she personally attended.
Although she never informed Serwaa about Lumba’s six children with Priscilla, she said Serwaa eventually found out through her own children, who visited their father in Ghana during holidays.
The hearing became tense when defence counsel asked whether she ever acknowledged Odo Broni as a sister-in-law. A video was tendered in which Odo Broni wished Ernestina a happy birthday on DL FM, referring to her as her “sister-in-law.”
An audio recording was also played, capturing Ernestina addressing Priscilla as “Akumaa,” meaning sister-in-law. Ernestina admitted the voice “sounded like” hers. With no objections from the plaintiff’s lawyers, the court admitted the recordings.
Ernestina denied claims that another woman, Theresah Abrebrese, performed the family’s in-law rites during their mother’s funeral.
She insisted it was Akosua Serwaa who performed the traditional Nseyie, explaining that Theresah only helped because of her long association with the family. She also described how Lumba attended Serwaa’s mother’s funeral dressed in black.
When asked if she had any disagreements with Priscilla Ofori in the months before the musician’s death, she said they had always maintained cordial relations.
Before adjournment, Priscilla Ofori’s lawyer, Akwasi Nyarko, challenged Ernestina’s claim about where Lumba was treated, pointing out that he had surgery at FOCOS Hospital in Pantang in 2013, not Tantra Hills as she stated. Ernestina responded that she visited him at a hospital in Tantra Hills after returning from Germany.
The court will continue hearing the case on Wednesday, when Ernestina Fosuh is expected to resume her testimony.