MERCER vs. GUINEA PRESS LTD [1967]DLHC1516

Date	1967-10-20
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1967]DLHC1516

ARCHER J.

A. A. FORSTER STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE APPLICANTS.

RESPONDENT IN PERSON.

[1967]DLHC1516
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">MERCER<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">vs.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">GUINEA PRESS
LTD<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, SEKONDI]<o:p></o:p>[1967] GLR 638<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:right;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">DATE:&nbsp;20 OCTOBER 1967.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>A. A. FORSTER, STATE ATTORNEY, FOR THE
APPLICANTS.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

RESPONDENT
IN PERSON.<o:p></o:p>

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

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT OF ARCHER J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">This is an application by the
defendants under Order 12, r. 24 and Order 70, r. 2 of the Supreme [High] Court
(Civil Procedure) Rules, 1954 (L. N. 140A), to set aside the writ of summons or
alternatively service of the writ of summons issued by the plaintiff on the
ground that the Attorney-General’s fiat was not obtained before the writ was
issued as required by paragraph 1 of the Newspapers Decree, 1966 (N.L.C.D.
107).<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Before I consider the merits of the
application I propose to deal with certain procedural points which have become
glaring in this matter. Order 12, r. 24 provides:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 5pt 36pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">“A defendant before appearing shall be at liberty, without
obtaining an order to enter or entering a conditional appearance, to take out a
summons or serve notice of motion to set aside the service upon him of the writ
or of notice of the writ, or to discharge the order authorising such service.”<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Order 70, r. 2 also provides:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 5pt 36pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">“No application to set aside any proceeding for irregularity shall
be allowed unless made within reasonable time, nor if the party applying has
taken any fresh step after knowledge of the irregularity.”<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">I understand these two Orders and
rules to mean that a defendant must make his application before he enters
unconditional appearance or takes any fresh step after the irregularity has
com</main>