RENAULT VEHICLES INDUSTRIES vs. ASHANTI ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES [1990]DLCA2296

Date	1990-05-09
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1990]DLCA2296

ESSIEM JA

AMUAH JA

OFORI-BOATENG JJ.A.

VIDAL BUCKLE FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPELLANTS.

W. A. N. ADUMUA-BOSSMAN FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENTS.

[1990]DLCA2296
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >RENAULT
VEHICLES INDUSTRIES<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ASHANTI
ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF
APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1991] 1
GLR 443<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">

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>VIDAL
BUCKLE FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPELLANTS.<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">

W. A. N.
ADUMUA-BOSSMAN FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENTS. <o:p></o:p>

ESSIEM,
AMUAH AND OFORI-BOATENG JJ.A. <o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGMENT
OF ESSIEM J.A.<o:p></o:p>Essiem
J.A. delivered the judgment of the court. This is an appeal against a ruling of
the High Court, Accra constituted by Emelia Aryee J. dated 27 February 1989.
The plaintiffs instituted action against the defendants claiming:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;
text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(1).
$2 million or the cedi equivalent as general damages for a
breach of contract whereby the plaintiff was to be solely responsible for the
marketing and servicing of the defendants’ vehicles in Ghana.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;
text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(2).
Further or other reliefs as in the circumstances may appear
just.<o:p></o:p>The
defendants are a foreign company resident in France. The writ of summons and
statement of claim were served on them outside the jurisdiction of the High
Court after leave for same had been obtained from the High Court in accordance
with the rules of court.<o:p></o:p>The
defendants thereafter entered conditional appearance and later filed their
defence to the action. The plaintiffs filed a reply to the defence of the
defendants and thereafter filed the summons for directions. The defendants gave
notice to raise additional issues at the summons for directions stage. Their
notice was filed on 5 December 1988 at 2.10 pm. On that same date and hour, the
record of proceedings shows that the defendants’ issued out a summons to set
aside the plaintiffs’ writ of summons under Order 12, r. 24 of the High Court
(Civil Procedure) Rules, 1954 (L.N. 140A).<o:p></o:p>The
supporting affidavit was sworn to by the defendants’ solicitor and I reproduce
the relevant paragraphs of the affidavit:<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) That
in my opinion and belief it forms part of the plaintiffs’ case that the
defendants are resident in France and not in Ghana. <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">(6) That
in my opinion and belief it forms part of the plaintiffs’ case that the
plaintiffs’ claim for damages arises from an alleged breach of an agreement
alleged to have been executed by the parties in France. <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">(7) That
it is my belief that the plaintiffs’ claim against the defendants is designated
in United States dollars as the appropriate currency of payment. <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">(8) That
in my belief and opinion the defendant-company is a body corporate incorporated
and existing in France which has no branch office in the Republic of Ghana, and
which does not do business on its own account in the Republic of Ghana. <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">(9) That
for an agreement alleged to have been executed in France by the plaintiffs and
the defendant-company, a French company resident and doing business in France
but not in Ghana for, as further alleged, the marketing in Ghana of French
manufactured goods and in respect of which, as claimed by the plaintiffs, the
appropriate currency in which any award for payment of compensation for any
breach of any term thereo</main>