VOLDEN AND OTHERS vs. GHANA GOLDFIELDS LTD [1999]DLHC494

Date	1999-02-15
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1999]DLHC494

ANSAH J.

J DARI FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPLICANT.

HAIZEL FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENTS.

<p class="mb-5" id="contentDlCitation"  hidden>[1999]DLHC494</p>
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; 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-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;
color:#00B0F0">VOLDEN AND OTHERS</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; 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-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;
color:#00B0F0">vs.</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; 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-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;
color:#00B0F0">GHANA GOLDFIELDS LTD</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: 115%; 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-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">[HIGH COURT, SEKONDI]</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">[1999-2000]
1 GLR 462&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">DATE: 15<sup>TH</sup> FEBRUARY 1999</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
115%"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:
12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
115%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">J DARI FOR THE DEFENDANT-APPLICANT.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;
mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;">HAIZEL
FOR THE PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENTS.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
115%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The plaintiffs sued the defendant
for the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 5pt 72pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">“(1) Payment of twenty month’s salary for sickness they contracted
whilst in the defendant’s employment which has at any rate been terminated.</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 5pt 72pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">(2) Recovery of expenses by the plaintiffs to recover this sum and
interest on the sum of money.”</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The writ of summons was issued in
the registry of this court and the statement of claim filed and served on the
defendant.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">By the present application, the
defendant is praying to this court for an order to transfer this suit to the
High Court, Tarkwa for Hearing or otherwise dealt with according to law. The
grounds upon which the application rested were that the parties and their
witnesses as well as counsel for the defendant reside in Tarkwa where there is
a High Court. Viewed against this, it became clear that the defendant is
saying, a trial at Tarkwa will help reduce expenses by both sides and will also
facilitate an expedited hearing and disposal of the suit. On the other hand,
the plaintiffs objected to the application saying that this court has
Jurisdiction to hear the suit in Sekondi.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The whole question of the venue for
the trial is of some crucial importance in our civil procedure. The law is
settled that there is only one High Court in Ghana as our Courts Act, 1993 (Act
459) and the Constitution, 1992 make that clear. In connection herewith Wiredu
v Mim Timbers Co Ltd [1963] 2 GLR 167; Yaro Transport v Agyare [1989-90] 1 G LR
I 10 are cited. Order 5 of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules, 1954 (LN 140A)
governed venues of trial in this one High Court in Ghana. That order as amended
has a new one inserted by the High Court (Civil Procedure) (Amendment) Rules,
1977 (LI 1107). As was stated by Twumasi J (as he then was) in Wilmot v Wilmot
[1981] GLR 521, LI 1107 in amending Order 5, r 1 of LN 140A unambiguously
comprehended not only the concept on substantive jurisdiction of the High
Court, but also its procedural Jurisdiction with regard to venue. By the
provisions of the law, notwithstanding the fact that there is only one High
Court in Ghana, a party cannot commence action in any region of his choice
Rather, he is obliged to do so in the region specified by the law. Where an
action is commenced in the wrong region and an objection is raised tirneously,
a report is made to the Chief Justice on the pendency of the suit in the wrong
registry and a transfer order is made by him, accordingly: see Order 5, r 1
(10) of LI 1107. That this is the practice and procedure with regard to the
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