ZAKARI vs. PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS INC. AND ANOTHER [1980]DLHC2170

Date	1980-06-23
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1980]DLHC2170

EDWARD WIREDU J.

M. A. F. RIBEIRO FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

KODJO ESSAH FOR THE DEFENDANTS.

E. K. MENSAH FOR THE CO-DEFENDANTS

[1980]DLHC2170
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ZAKARI <o:p></o:p>vs. <o:p></o:p>PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS INC. AND ANOTHER <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1982-83] GLR 975<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

DATE:
23 JUNE 1980<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">

M. A. F. RIBEIRO FOR THE PLAINTIFF. <o:p></o:p>

KODJO ESSAH FOR THE DEFENDANTS. <o:p></o:p>

E. K. MENSAH FOR THE CO-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">

EDWARD WIREDU J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF WIREDU J.<o:p></o:p>On or
about 12 October 1976 the plaintiff issued out of this court a writ against Pan
American World Airways Inc. The indorsement on the writ reads:<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">“The
plaintiff claims against the defendants the sum of 6,682.55 pounds amounting to
¢7, 684. 34 being as to 5,382,55 thereof the value of machinery, to wit,
casting and polishing machinery for jewellery, its accessories plus finished
jewellery and as to the balance of 1,300 pounds the value of personal effects
which the plaintiff air-freighted on 8 August 1974 on the airlines of the
defendant-company from New York to Accra and which said consignment the
defendants transhipped on 12 October 1974 to Paris for onward shipment to Accra
but have despite repeated demands failed to deliver same to the plaintiff.<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. The
plaintiff further claims general damages for loss of use of the said machinery
which was required for the plaintiff’s business and for loss of use of the said
personal effects.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On 29
October 1976 Pan American World Airways Inc. (hereafter referred to simply as
the defendants) entered an appearance through their solicitors, Messrs Kudjawu
&amp; Co. and on 22 November 1976 the following statement of defence was filed
on behalf of the defendants:<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. The
defendants deny owing the plaintiff the sum of ¢7,684.34 or at all. 2. By a
contract of carriage dated 8 August 1974 and entered into between the
defendants and the<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">plaintiff,
it was provided in section 4 (a) of the said contract that: The charges for
carriage having been based upon the value declared by the shipper, it is agreed
that any liability shall in no event exceed the shipper’s declared value for
carriage stated on the face hereof and in the absence of such declaration by
the shipper liability of carrier shall not exceed 250 such French gold francs
or their equivalent per kilogram of goods destroyed, lost, damaged or delayed;
all claims shall be subject to proof of value, 3. The plaintiff did not declare
any value for the goods air-freighted on the defendants aircraft. 4. The defendants
aver that, if, which is denied, the goods consigned by the plaintiff on board
the defendants’ aircraft are lost through the negligence or wilful fault of the
defendants, liability is limited as specified in the said contract of carriage,
and the plaintiff is not entitled to the relief sought by him.<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. Save
as hereinbefore expressly admitted the defendants deny each allegation of fact
contained in the statement of claim as if the same were set out separately and
traversed seriatim.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
defendants’ solicitors by a motion filed on 12 April 1977 applied to join Union
de Transport Aeriens (U.T.A.) as the co-defendants to the action. The
application for the joinder reads:<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">“TAKE
NOTICE that this court will be moved on Tuesday, 26 April 1977 at 9 o’clock in the
forenoon on the hearing of an application by counsel for and on behalf of Pan
American World Airways, Pan Am, praying for an order adding the name of Union
de Transport Aeriens, U.T.A., as a co-defendant to this action on the grounds
set out in the accompanying affidavit and for such further or other orders as
to this court may seem fit.”<o:p></o:p>