YANKSON vs. APPIAH [1962]DLSC1751

Date	1962-11-12
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1962]DLSC1751

VAN LARE JSC

BLAY JSC

AKUFO-ADDO J.S.C.

LUTTERODT FOR THE PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT.

VICTOR OWUSU FOR THE DEFENDANT-RESPONDENT

[1962]DLSC1751
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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:#548DD4">YANKSON <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:#548DD4">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:#548DD4">APPIAH <o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT]<o:p></o:p>[1962] 2 GLR 125<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"> 12TH NOVEMBER, 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">

LUTTERODT
FOR THE PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>

VICTOR
OWUSU FOR THE DEFENDANT-RESPONDENT.<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 1.0pt 0in">

VAN LARE, BLAY AND AKUFO-ADDO,
JJ.S.C.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF VAN
LARE J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>Van Lare J.S.C. delivered the judgment of the court. Sometime in
January 1959, the plaintiff-appellant, a timber merchant of Kumasi, entered
into negotiations with the defendant-respondent, a building contractor, also of
Kumasi, for the sale to him of the respondent’s two second-hand Bedford trucks.
The negotiations resulted in a written agreement dated the 2nd
January, 1959, which provided as follows:<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">“I the undersigned G. K. Appiah of house No. 31 Mbrom, Kumasi,
have received from Mr. R. I. Yankson of house K.O. 97 Kumasi, the sum of £G250
(two hundred and fifty pounds) as part payment against two (2) Bedford diesel
timber trucks Nos. AS 8572 and AS 4175. That a further payment of £G150 (one
hundred and fifty pounds) will be made on the 2nd day of February, 1959. In
default of making the second payment of £G150 (one hundred and fifty pounds at
the expiry of the specified time as I, R. I. Yankson had promised, right is
reserved for the said G. K. Appiah to seize possession of one (1) of
above-mentioned trucks from me, R. I. Yankson, without any obstruction
whatever.<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">Final agreement between the two of us will be executed in respect
of the two or one of the vehicles upon the fulfilment of the above conditions.
The total amount of the purchase price of the two (2) vehicles is £G700 (seven
hundred pounds). Dated at Kumasi this 22nd day of January, 1950. 1. (Sgd.) G.
K. APPIAH Lorry Owner 2. (Sgd.) R. I. YANKSON Intended Purchaser.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The respondent contended at the trial that the “final agreement”
mentioned in the last paragraph of the agreement set out above took the form of
a hire-purchase agreement in respect of the two vehicles, and was executed on
the 4th February, 1959, although it bore on its face the date of the 4th
January 1959, which the respondent said was inserted in the agreement in error.
This hire-purchase agreement (exhibit 1) provided for an initial payment by the
appellant of £G400 and the payment of the balance of £G300 by four monthly
instalments of £G75 each, the first payment to be made on the 4th March, 1959.
The agreement also vested power in the respondent to seize the vehicles in the
event of the appellant making default in the payment of any instalment when the
same became due and payable. On the 15th March, 1959, upon default having been made
by the appellant in the payment of the first instalment which became due on the
4th March, 1959, the respondent seized the two vehicles and sold them to the
Ashanti Wood-Workers of Mamponteng.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The appellant’s action in the court below was in respect of the
seizure of these vehicles which he contended was unlawful, and he claimed,
eventually and after several amendments of his claim, “damages for wrongful and
unlawful seizure, detention and sale of the plaintiff’s vehicles,” and loss of
profits, and alternatively £G700 the value of the two vehicles and loss of
profits. A claim to have the sale set aside was eventually abandoned, and the
action against the Ashanti Wood-Workers who were also sued as second defendants
discontinued.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The appellant in his statement of claim dated the 6th May, 1959,
and delivered on the 21st May, 1959, averred, inter alia, as follows:<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) At the beginning of January, 1959, the plaintiff intended to
enter into a hire-purchase agreement with the first defendant in respect of two
Bedford timber trucks Nos. AS 8572 and AS 4175, but as the plaintiff was unable
to pay the initial deposit of four hundred pounds (£G400) the parties agreed
and abandoned the intention. <o:p></o:p>