DARKO AND ANOTHER vs. BANK OF WEST AFRICA LTD. [1971]DLCA2214

Date	1971-11-29
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1971]DLCA2214

SIRIBOE JSC

AZU CRABBE J.S.C.

LASSEY J.A.

NII ODOI-ANNAN FOR THE APPELLANTS.

SIR EDWARD ASAFU-ADJAYE (WITH HIM K. F. ASAFU-ADJAYE) FOR THE RESPONDENTS.

[1971]DLCA2214
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DARKO AND ANOTHER <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>BANK OF WEST AFRICA LTD. <o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL]<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[1972] 1 GLR 242<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

DATE:
29 NOVEMBER 1971.<o:p></o:p>

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

NII ODOI-ANNAN FOR THE APPELLANTS.<o:p></o:p>

SIR EDWARD ASAFU-ADJAYE (WITH HIM K. F.
ASAFU-ADJAYE) FOR THE RESPONDENTS.<o:p></o:p>

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

SIRIBOE AND AZU CRABBE JJ.S.C. AND
LASSEY J.A.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF SIRIBOE J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>This is
an appeal from a judgment of Apaloo J.S.C. (as he then was), sitting as an
additional judge of the High Court, Accra, on 9 November 1964. The
circumstances leading to the judgment appealed from are briefly stated as
follows:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On 11
March 1959 the defendant-bank (hereafter referred to as the respondents), took
out two separate writs of summons against the plaintiffs (also referred to for
short, as the appellants), a company called Mpotima Ltd. of which the
appellants were the managing director and chairman respectively and some other
persons. The two writs serially numbered as suit No. 87/59 and No. 88/59, were
specially endorsed for claims made for amounts due in respect of some monetary
transactions between the parties. In suit No. 87/59, the sum claimed was
£G81,569 14s. Id. and £G11,467 11s. Id. in No. 88/59. In each case, there was
interest claimed at the rate of ten per cent from 24 January up to date of
judgment.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Apart
from an appearance that was entered on behalf of the defendants in those two
suits which were before Smith J. no defence was filed. The reason for this, as
explained by Mr. Akufo-Addo whom the defendants engaged, was that he saw there
was no defence to the claims and he so informed them. He was therefore
instructed by his clients to negotiate for terms of settlement of the debts by
instalments.<o:p></o:p>In the
course of this, it appears hard bargain was struck on both sides. The
negotiations, therefore, dragged on for some time, and at one stage, nearly
collapsed, because the respondents were insisting on another condition,
requesting the appellants to execute a debenture as additional security for
payment, but that was refused.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>As a
result, Mr. Akufo-Addo said he thought of filing a defence to gain time—but he
never did. Eventually, he managed to get agreement of the solicitors for the
respondents, on terms which were embodied in writing (exhibit 1) and later
announced in court before Smith J. for judgment recorded on 22 June 1959.
Exhibit 1 and the judgments (exhibit A3) recorded in pursuance thereof, are 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">“E. Akufo-Addo, M.A. (Oxon.) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kwakwaduam
Chambers, <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">Barrister-at-Law &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;P.O.
Box 207, <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">Solicitor of Supreme Court of
Ghana Accra, Ghana. <o:p></o:p>