WEST AFRICAN BAKERY vs. MIEZAH [1972]DLCA2424

Date	1972-10-26
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1972]DLCA2424

AZU CRABBE J.S.C

LASSEY JA

SOWAH J.A.

R.S. BLAY FOR THE APPELLANTS.

K.E. AMUAH-SAKYI FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[1972]DLCA2424
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >WEST AFRICAN BAKERY<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;vs. <o:p></o:p>MIEZAH <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 78<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:
26 OCTOBER 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">

R.S. BLAY FOR THE APPELLANTS.<o:p></o:p>

K.E. AMUAH-SAKYI FOR THE RESPONDENT.<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">

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

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF AZU CRABBE J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>This is
an appeal from a judgment of Aboagye J. dated 23 June 1969 in favour of the
plaintiff in an action for damages for negligence. The plaintiff’s claim was
for, “the sum of N¢2,600.00 for loss and damage to the plaintiff by the
negligent driving of Louis Obialo, the servant or agent of the defendants.” The
plaintiff’s case was that on 21 January 1967 his driver, one Benie Ansah, drove
his Robur Commercial lorry No. WR 8584 from Takoradi towards Half Assini. When
he had passed Kwesimintsim and was heading towards Apremdu he sighted the
defendants’ V.W. van No. SG 5538 ahead of him. It was then parked on the near
side of the Takoradi-Half Assini road, facing Half Assini. He sounded his horn
and indicated by his off side direction indicator that he was going to overtake
the van. As he approached the van and was about three yards to it, the driver
of the van, without indicating his intention to move to his right, suddenly
moved and turned to his right, and collided with his lorry. The lorry fell off
the road and was damaged beyond economic repair. In his statement of claim the
plaintiff alleged the following particulars of his claim:<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">(a) N¢1,950.00 being the
estimated market value of vehicle No. WR 8584;<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">(b) N¢440.00 being loss of
profits from date of collision to commencement of action;<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">(c) loss of profits thereafter at
the rate of N¢120.00 per month.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
defendants denied liability for the claim, and in paragraph (3) of their statement
of defence they alleged,<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">“that
their servant driving Volks Wagon delivery van No. SG 5538 gave ample and
sufficient warning of his intention to turn to the right and at a time when
plaintiff’s servant driving commercial lorry No. WR 8584 was a good distance
away and should, have avoided the collision if he had exercised due care and
not driving at excessive speed.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
defendants further averred in the statement of defence that, even if their
driver was negligent, though this was denied, “the plaintiff’s servant was
equally negligent and did contribute to any damage caused to the plaintiff’s
vehicle.” The defendants counterclaimed from the plaintiff the sum of N¢515.70,
being damages suffered by the defendants through the negligence of the
plaintiff’s servant.<o:p></o:p>The case
for the defendants was briefly, but fully, stated by the learned trial judge in
the following passage of his judgment:<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">&nbsp;“Their case is that on the day of the accident
their driver Louis Obialo drove their V.W. van No. SG 5538 towards Kwesimintsim
Zongo to deliver bread to a customer there. After he had passed the
Kwesimintsim lorry park and was about 60 yards to a branch road on his right
into which he was to turn to reach the customer, he saw from hi</main>