[1987]DLHC2327 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#00B0F0;mso-fareast-language:#0C00">YARTEL BOAT BUILDING CO.</span></b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#00B0F0;mso-fareast-language:#0C00">vs.</span></b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#00B0F0;mso-fareast-language:#0C00">ANNAN</span></b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">[HIGH COURT, CAPE COAST]</span></b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom: 1.5pt solid windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: none; padding: 0cm;"><b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">[1991] 2 GLR 11</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">DATE: 16 MARCH 1987<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">COUNSEL</span></b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">:</span><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">J. S. ENNIN FOR THE APPLICANT.</span><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom: 1.5pt solid windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: none; padding: 0cm;"><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">NO APPEARANCE BY OR FOR THE DEFENDANT.</span><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">CORAM</span></b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">:</span><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom: 1.5pt solid windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: none; padding: 0cm;"><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">KPEGAH J.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">JUDGMENT OF KPEGAH J.</span></u></b><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">On 21 January 1987, the plaintiff took out a writ of summons against the defendant claiming the sum of ¢237,500 being the balance of a contract price for work done by the plaintiff. The writ, categorised as specially indorsed, was sealed at 10.30 am on the said date. It was not accompanied with any statement of claim. On the said date and time aforesaid, the plaintiff also filed a summons for judgment for the amount indorsed on the writ. The affidavit in support gave a detailed account as to how the debt of ¢237,500 was incurred by the defendant. The agreement was also exhibited by the plaintiff. The return date on the summons for judgment was 2 February 1987.</span><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">The writ together with the summons for judgment were forwarded to the Registrar, District Court Grade II, Elmina for service on the defendant. Both processes were served on the defendant on 13 January 1987 at 9 am. When the application for judgment came on for hearing on 2 February 1987, there was no proof of service so it was adjourned to 18 February 1987. The proof of service arrived by post on 6 February 1987. On 18 February 1987 the parties were absent and the application was subsequently adjourned to 12 March 1987. A representative of the plaintiff and counsel were in court on the said date. The defendant was not in court though he had been served. Learned counsel for the plaintiff, Mr J. E. Ennin, moved the court for judgment because the “writ was specially indorsed and the defendant has no defence to the action.”</span><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">This should have been a simple application entailing no serious difficulties but for certain features I have observed about it. I have, therefore, decided to give some consideration to the propriety or otherwise of the instant application. Some of the disturbing aspects of the application are:</span><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 5pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">(a).</span><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 7pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span lang="en-GH" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;">Both the writ and summons for summary judgment were filed and sealed at the sa