DR. JACOB EMMANUEL OPPONG vs. ATTORNEY-GENERAL, FOR AND ON BEHALF MR. JUSTICE GEORGE ACQUAH'S; INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE, NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CIVIC EDUCATION (N.C.C.E.) ACCRA, BIMI LAARY, CHAIRMAN [2000]DLSC2344

DR. JACOB EMMANUEL OPPONG vs. ATTORNEY-GENERAL, FOR AND ON BEHALF MR. JUSTICE GE... [2000]DLSC2344

Date	2000-02-23
Suit No.	Writ No. 3/99
Citation No.	[2000]DLSC2344

Mrs. J. Bamford-Addo J.S.C

Ampiah J.S

Adjabeng J.S

Atuguba JSC

Ms. Akuffo J.S.C

MR. ANIM CHIEF STATE ATTORNEY FOR 1ST AND 2ND DEFENDANTS.

MR. SAMUEL CODJOE FOR 3RD DEFENDANT.

MR. AMBROSE DERY WITH MR. TANKO AMADU FOR 4TH DEFENDANT

MR. WARD-BREW FOR PLAINTIFF.

[2000]DLSC2344
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DR. JACOB EMMANUEL
OPPONG<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ATTORNEY-GENERAL, FOR
AND ON BEHALF MR. JUSTICE GEORGE ACQUAH'S; INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE,&nbsp;&nbsp; NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CIVIC EDUCATION
(N.C.C.E.) ACCRA, BIMI LAARY, CHAIRMAN<o:p></o:p>[THE
SUPREME COURT] <o:p></o:p>Writ
No. 3/99<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: 23rd
February, 2000<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>MR.
ANIM, CHIEF STATE ATTORNEY FOR 1ST AND 2ND DEFENDANTS.<o:p></o:p>MR.
SAMUEL CODJOE FOR 3RD DEFENDANT.<o:p></o:p>MR.
AMBROSE DERY WITH MR. TANKO AMADU FOR 4TH DEFENDANT<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">

MR.
WARD-BREW FOR PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p>

</div>Coram&nbsp;
<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><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>RULING<o:p></o:p>MRS.
J. BAMFORD-ADDO <o:p></o:p>The
Plaintiff purported to invoke the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
under Articles 2 (1) (b) and 130 of the 1992 Constitution as well as under Rule
45 of the Supreme Court rules 1996 (C.I. 16) by filing an affidavit verifying
facts and particulars and statement of plaintiffs case on the 14/9/99 without a
Writ.&nbsp; On the 30/9/99 he filed a Writ
together with a Supplementary Affidavit in which he stated in Par 2 - 4 thereof
as follows:<o:p></o:p>“Par 2. That on the 14th day of
September 1999 I filed an Affidavit Verifying Facts and Particulars, together
with Statement of Plaintiffs case but inadvertently did not attach the Writ to
it.<o:p></o:p>Par 3. That I am filing the
appropriate Writ attached hereto to be attached to the said Affidavit Verifying
Facts and Particulars together with Statement of Plaintiff’s case.<o:p></o:p>Par 4.That I pray that the Writ will
be attached to the said Documents.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>At
the hearing the Defendants raised a preliminary objection to the Plaintiffs
action and applied for same to be struck out on the ground that the Plaintiff
did not initiate any action as required under by the mandatory provision of
Rule 45 (1) C.I. 16.<o:p></o:p>45(1)
of C.I.16 provides that:<o:p></o:p>“Except as otherwise provided in these
Rules, an action brought to invoke the original jurisdiction of this Court
shall be commenced by a writ in the form 27 set out in Part III of the Schedule
to these Rules which shall be signed by the Plaintiff or his Counsel”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
above requirements were not complied with and therefore no action having been
initiated by a Writ the other documents filed on 14/9/99 were of no consequence
and null and void. The Plaintiff’s request in the Supplementary Affidavit filed
on 30/9/99, that the said invalid documents to attached to the Writ filed on
30/9/99 is misconceived. It is not for the Registrar of this Court to rectify
any lapses in the filing of papers for parties who fail to comply with Rules of
procedure nor has been given any power to do so.&nbsp; Neither can invalid and void documents be
resurrected and given life by attaching same to a later valid document. The
Defendants' submission that there is no case before the court is therefore
valid.<o:p></o:p>Concerning
the writ filed on 30/9/99 the Plaintiff should have complied with Rule 46(1) of
C.I. 16 after filing it. It says in <o:p></o:p>"Rule 46(1)&nbsp; The Plaintiff may file a statement of his
case with the Writ or shall in any case within 14 days of the filing of the
writ file the statement of the case.<o:p></o:p>(2)&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; X&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; X&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; X<o:p></o:p>(3) Where the statement of the
Plaintiff’s case is not filed within 14 days of the filing of the Writ the
Respondent may apply to the court to have the action struck out.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>This
means that 14 days from the date of the filing of Plaintiffs Writ on 30/9/99
the Writ could on the application of the Defendants be struck out, if the
Plaintiffs statement of case in support his writ is not filed. But the
plaintiff could ask for extension of time to file the statement of his case,
see the provisions of Rule 48(4) which provides that:<o:p></o:p>"Rule 48(4)&nbsp; Notwithstanding sub rule (1) to (3) of this
rule a Plaintiff may apply to the court for an extension of time within which
to fulfil the conditions to be complied with in accordance with these Rules and
the court m</main>