ANDY QUARTEY & ANOR. AND BARCLAYS BANK GHANA LTD [2001]DLCHRAJ6063

Date	2001-05-30
Suit No.	Our Ref: CHRAJ/1070/2001/1963
Citation No.	[2001]DLCHRAJ6063

BENJAMIN K. OPPONG

[2001]DLCHRAJ6063
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B050">ANDY QUARTEY &amp; ANOR.<o:p></o:p>(COMPLAINANTS)<o:p></o:p>AND<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B050">BARCLAYS BANK GHANA LTD.<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<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">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:center;
mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">(CHRAJ)<o:p></o:p>

Our Ref: CHRAJ/1070/2001/1963&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; &nbsp;DATE: 30/05/2001<o:p></o:p>

</div>commissioner:<o:p></o:p>BENJAMIN
K. OPPONG DEPUTY COMMISSIONER LEGAL/OPERATIONS FOR COMMISSIONER<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none;
border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">DECISION<o:p></o:p>

</div>INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p>The
complainants were dismissed from the employ of the respondent in January 2000
for jointly signing a guarantee letter in favour of Thorfisk International A/S,
a Danish Company, without authorisation. While the respondent bank contended
that they acted in breach of the bank's regulations, the complainants on the
other hand contended that the complainants acted in the larger interests of the
bank. They therefore sought the intervention of the Commission.<o:p></o:p>COMPLAINANTS' CASE <o:p></o:p>The complainants were Branch Manager and
Accountant (respectively) of the Tema Fishing Harbour Branch of the respondent
bank. On 23rd April, 1993, one Mr. Lans Hansen of Thorfisk International A/S
and one Mr. Ohene Djan, of Warm Weather Enterprises Ltd. went with the
intention to open an account at the Harbour branch of the bank in United States
dollars and cedis (respectively) so that proceeds from the sale of fish
deposited in Warm Weather's account could be transferred to Thorfisk
International account, and the same converted into U.S. dollars.<o:p></o:p>Upon
studying the papers presented by Laus Hansen, the complainants realized that
they were not applicable in Ghana. He was accordingly advised to proceed to the
Ghana Investment Centre and the Registrar of Companies to obtain the necessary
documents. Mr. Hansen returned on 27th April to tell the complainants that he
could not obtain the necessary local documents to enable him open the Bank
Account in local and foreign currencies.<o:p></o:p>Mr.
Hansen then produced a piece of paper, which bore the letter head of DEN DANSKE
BANK, and asked them to append their signatures to it, but they refused to do
so. He told them that he wanted them to guarantee that when the proceeds of
sale were paid into Warm Weather's account, the respondent Bank would transfer
the monies to Denmark. Though the complainants initially objected to that
proposal on the ground that the bank did not give guarantees of that nature,
and that even if that had to be done, it had to be done by the Head Office,
they later capitulated and accordingly signed the undertaking to<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:1.0in;text-align:justify;text-indent:.7pt;mso-pagination:none;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">"guarantee
and transfer the total value of US$3,500,000 (Three million five hundred
thousand U.S. dollars) from 1st May to October 1993 on first demand as per
proforma invoices/contract between yourselves and Warm Weather Enterprises
Ltd."<o:p></o:p>The complainants further stated that when
the transaction was discovered by the Head office, they were interviewed and
asked to write statements. They were subsequently suspended on half salary in
November, 1993 and given dismissal letters in January 2000. They complained
that:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.45pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:
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