BONSU vs. FORSON [1962]DLHC1396

Date	1962-03-07
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1962]DLHC1396

DJABANOR J.

I. K. ABOAGYE FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

E. K. WIREDU FOR OWUSU YAW FOR THE DEFENDANT.

[1962]DLHC1396
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">BONSU <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">vs. <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">FORSON <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, KUMASI]<o:p></o:p>[1962] 1 GLR 139<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">

DATE:<span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0"> 7TH MARCH, 1962.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

I.
K. ABOAGYE FOR THE PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p>

E.
K. WIREDU FOR OWUSU YAW FOR THE DEFENDANT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

DJABANOR J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF
DJABANOR J.<o:p></o:p>The plaintiff instituted this action claiming:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“(1) Fifteen thousand pounds (£G15,000) damages. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(2) An injunction restraining the defendant his servants and
agents from further speaking or publishing the said or any similar words
defamatory of the plaintiff.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It will be observed that the claim as it thus stands did not
disclose any cause of action, but this was saved in my opinion, by the
statement of claim which was filed together with the writ and which was in the
following terms:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“1. The plaintiff was on the 30th day of May, 1959, and is still a
lawyer practising as a solicitor and barrister, at Kumasi, in the Ashanti
Region of Ghana. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">2. That the plaintiff was and is also a politician and a Member of
Parliament for the Sekyere West electoral district. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">3. The defendant is a wholesale-keeper of the United Africa
Company (Ghana) Limited, Prison Road, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">4. The plaintiff is a tenant and was on the 30th day of May, 1960
a tenant at House Number AA.8, Kwame Nkrumah Road, Kumasi. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">5. The defendant is and was at the said date the landlord of the
plaintiff at the said house number AA. 8, Kumasi, Kwame Nkrumah Road aforesaid.
<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">6. On or about the 30th day of May, 1960, at house number AA. 8,
Kwame Nkrumah<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">Road, aforesaid the defendant falsely and maliciously spoke and
published of the plaintiff to and/or in the presence and hearing of persons the
following words: <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(1) ‘You are a thief’. (2) ‘You are a hopeless lawyer. Se ennye
Owusu Afriyie a anka wonnya asem nni.’ (3) ‘You are a hopeless M.P.’ 7. By the
words ‘You are a thief ‘ the defendant meant and was understood to mean that
the plaintiff had committed a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment. 8.
By the words ‘You are a hopeless lawyer, Se ennye Owusu Afriyie a anka wonnya
asem nni’ the defendant meant and was understood to mean that the plaintiff was
incompetent and inefficient in his profession as a lawyer. 9. By the words `You
are a hopeless M.P’ the defendant meant and was understood to mean that the
plaintiff was unfit and of no use in his office as Member of Parliament of the
Sekyere West electoral district. 10. The plaintiff will contend at the hearing
that all the words mentioned in paragraphs 6 (1), 6 (2) and 6 (3), are
actionable per se. 11. Unless restrained by this honourable court, the
defendant will further publish the said or similar slanders</main>