WILLIAM APPIAH & 24 ORS vs. COCOA MARKETING COMPANY

DENNIS ADJEI, J.A.: The plaintiffs/respondents who were former employees of the defendants/appellants had their appointments terminated by the defendants. The plaintiffs perceived the basis for the termination of their appointments as unfair and therefore sued the defendant in the High Court Sekondi to challenge same. The plaintiffs sought for several reliefs including libel against the defendant. The basis for the libel was that the reason offered by the employers for the termination was defamatory of the plaintiffs. On 15th December, 2011 trial High Court gave judgment in favour of the plaintiffs and held that their termination was unfair. The trial court also dismissed the defendants’ counterclaim which sought to recover the value of the cocoa beans which got missing in the defendant warehouses and the total money paid by the defendant to the buyers for short weights recorded at the destination points. The four (4) grounds of appeal filed by the defendant are as follows: “1....