AFRICAN DRUG CO. vs. KUMASI CITY COUNCIL [1973]DLHC2355

Date	1973-10-16
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1973]DLHC2355

MENSA BOISON J.

C. F. HAYFRON-BENJAMIN FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.

A. K. ACHEAMPONG FOR THE DEFENDANTS.

[1973]DLHC2355
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >AFRICAN DRUG CO. <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>KUMASI CITY COUNCIL <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT,
KUMASI]<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;[1973]
1 GLR 164<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:
16 OCTOBER 1972.<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">

C. F. HAYFRON-BENJAMIN FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.<o:p></o:p>

A. K. ACHEAMPONG FOR THE DEFENDANTS.<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">

MENSA BOISON J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF MENSA BOISON J.<o:p></o:p>By their
writ of summons the plaintiffs claim against the defendants, the council,
damages for wrongful ejectment and for loss in their business profits
occasioned by the defendants’ act. The substance of the statement of claim is
that the plaintiffs, as importers and retailers of pharmaceuticals, had their
office in store No. B4 in the Asafo Market, Kumasi, which they had rented from
the defendants, forcibly locked up by a servant of the defendants, for alleged
arrears of rents. According to the plaintiffs, this act prevented their having
access to their files and documents. The documents including import licence for
drugs, without which they were unable to take customs delivery of certain
pharmaceutical consignments during the period. As a result of their failure,
the drugs were eventually sold at a public auction by the Customs Department as
unclaimed goods. Apart from the resulting loss of profits thereby occasioned,
the plaintiffs also complain of having suffered damages for their inability to
transact business from their office No. B4 as a result of the closure. For the
loss the plaintiffs claim general damages, besides a claim for special damages
of N¢10,308.20.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
defendants in the first place denied the material allegation of forcibly
locking up the office of the plaintiffs. In the alternative they justified any
such closure under the provisions of the council’s Control of Markets Bye-Laws,
which entitled them to revoke the plaintiff’s licence as tenants, even without
notice, for the arrears of rents. They also appeared to have denied any damage
to the plaintiffs and counterclaimed for arrears of rents in the sum of
N¢378.00.<o:p></o:p>The
important issues settled for trial were:<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)
whether the plaintiffs were tenants or licensees;<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">(2)
whether there was on or about 10 August 1968 a dispute as to the amount of rent
owed by the plaintiffs;<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">(3)
whether or not the defendants locked up the plaintiffs’ office and if so
whether the act was wrongful;<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">(4)
whether or not the plaintiffs suffered damage; and<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">(5)
whether or not there was any breach of the council’s Control of Markets
Bye-Laws, 1964.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>There is
no dispute upon the evidence that the plaintiffs at the material period, were
tenants of the defendants occupying by licence, one market store No. B4 at the
Asafo Market in Kumasi, that they were in arrears of rent by 10 August 1968.
The amount which was later agreed to be N¢378.00 was paid by the plaintiffs
after the institution of this action.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>