WATALAH vs. GHANA PRIMEWOOD PRODUCTS LTD. [1973]DLHC2214

Date	1973-04-19
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1973]DLHC2214

CHARLES CRABBE J.

A. FORSON FOR THE PLAINTIFF

E. D. KOM FOR THE DEFENDANTS.

<p class="mb-5" id="contentDlCitation"  hidden>[1973]DLHC2214</p>
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p style="text-align: start; "><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">&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;</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif; color: rgb(84, 141, 212);">WATALAH</span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:center;
mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:center 3.25in left 396.75pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">[</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">HIGH COURT, SEKONDI</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">]<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="right" style="text-align:right;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 0in 0in"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">DATE:</span></i><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:#00B0F0">
</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">19 APRIL 1973.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:67.5pt;border:none;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 0in 0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">A. FORSON FOR THE PLAINTIFF<o:p></o:p></span></p>

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">CORAM:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;text-align:justify;border:none;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 0in 0in"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">CHARLES CRABBE J.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:
yes"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The
plaintiff sued the defendants for “general damages for injuries he sustained
whilst at work on 5 April 1971 through the negligence of the defendant
company.” When the case was called on 8 February 1973 for hearing, the
plaintiff as well as his counsel were present. Counsel for the defendants
though he had been served on 1 February 1973 was not in court.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:
yes"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">A
representative of the defendants who gave his name as Isaac Essandoh was
present. He said he had a message for the court. He was informed that the judge
did not take messages on the bench. When allowed to explain he said that the
message he intended for the court was that “the company had engaged a lawyer
who says we must come to court.” Asked why the lawyer had so informed the
company, Mr. Essandoh could not say.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:
yes"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">Counsel
for the plaintiff called the plaintiff into the witness-box who gave evidence
on oath. When Mr. Essandoh was asked if he had any questions to ask the
plaintiff he said he had none. When asked to go on with the case for the
defendants after the plaintiff had closed his case, Mr. Essandoh said he had
nothing to say.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:
yes"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">There was
nothing on the docket to indicate that counsel for the defendants had indicated
his inability to be present. In the absence of evidence to contradict the
evidence of the plaintiff, the court gave judgment against the defendants, as
follows:<o:p></o:p></span></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><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">“There is
no evidence to contradict what has been said by the plaintiff. In the
circumstances I will give judgment in his favour against the defendants. He is
33 years old earning, he says, a total of about ¢45 a month. Looking at him he
has really been injured. The doctor says he is 50 per cent. permanently
injured, that is, his incapacity; and a permanent disfigurement of twenty per
cent. I will award the plaintiff ¢20,000 damages against the defendants. I
award costs of ¢1,500 against the defendants.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>