SAM JONAH vs. LORD DUODU-KUMI [1999]DLCA6948

Date	1999-01-21
Suit No.	CIVIL MOTION NO. 209/98
Citation No.	[1999]DLCA6948

OFORI-BOATENG J.A. (PRESIDING)

FORSTER J.A.

ESSILFIE-BONDZIE J.A.

SAM JONAH JA

STANLEY AMARTEIFIO FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

ADUMUAH-BOSSMAN FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPLICANT

[1999]DLCA6948
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >SAM JONAH<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>LORD DUODU-KUMI<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPLICANT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>CIVIL
MOTION NO. 209/98&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; DATE: 21ST JANUARY, 1999<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
115%;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
115%;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">STANLEY
AMARTEIFIO FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT <o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
115%;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">ADUMUAH-BOSSMAN
FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPLICANT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p>OFORI-BOATENG
J.A. (PRESIDING), FORSTER J.A., ESSILFIE-BONDZIE J.A., SAM JONAH JA<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>FOSTER,
J.A.:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In 1997, the Plaintiff/Respondent (hereinafter
called the Plaintiff) sued out a writ in the High Court, Accra against the
Defendant as tenant claiming (as per amendment statement of claim dated 14th
July, 1998):<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(1) An order of ejectment from property No
109, East Cantonments, Accra.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(2) Rent arrears of the cedi equivalent of US
$ 38,250 <o:p></o:p>(3)
Interest on the said sum from 1st July, 1996 to date of payment. <o:p></o:p>(4)
Mense profits. <o:p></o:p>The
Defendant duly entered appearance and resisted the claim. Essentially, the
defendant denied that the plaintiff was his landlord and contended that the
sale of the property by the previous owners to the plaintiff was a sham.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The trial High Court Judge on 30th January,
1998 granted plaintiff’s summons for Summary judgment, observing that”<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“On the pleadings so far filed in the suit, it
is my considered Opinion that the application should be granted”. <o:p></o:p>The
defendant appealed to the Court of Appeal and applied to the trial court for
stay of execution and upon the refusal of the court to grant the application,
the defendant repeated the application for stay of execution in this Court. The
defendant in his affidavit in support of the application recounted plaintiff’s
claim that: <o:p></o:p>“ (2)…he is the new owner of H/No 109,
East Cantonments, Accra. Having purchased same from UNILEVER (Ghana) Limited,
and sought an order for my ejection from the said house for non-payment of rent
of $2,125.00 per mensem”.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Defendant then repeated the substance of his
defence considered paragraph 3 that he: <o:p></o:p>(a)
Challenged plaintiff’s alleged ownership of the house since he had failed to
exhibit any registered Deed of Assignment/sale. <o:p></o:p>(b)
That the rent payable to UNILEVER at all times material to this action was
$1,500.00 per mensem and not $2,125.00 as claimed by plaintiff.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(c) Challenged the legality and enforceability
billing of the agreement charging rent in US$ contrary to the applicable fiscal
laws of the Bank of Ghana”<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In the view of the defendant these averments,
and as pleaded in his defence in the action, raised triable issues which the
trial judge should have resolved by a trial and therefore he erred in entering
summary judgment against the defendant. <o:p></o:p>The
issues must be resolved by considering each separately. <o:p></o:p>As
to the issues of ownership:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The defendant does not contend that he and not
the plaintiff is the owner of the property. He does not also dispute that the
property was owned by UNILEVER [GHANA] Limited. It is on record that by their
letter dated December 29, 1995, Unilever notified the defendant as follows: <o:p></o:p>“TENANCY WITH UNILEVER [GHANA] LIMITED
<o:p></o:p>