DANICOM LTD vs. GHANA COMMERCIAL BANK [2001]DLHC1187

Date	2001-10-18
Suit No.
Citation No.	[2001]DLHC1187

OFOE J

KUENYEHIA & CO FOR THE PLAINTIFF-COMPANY.

A T TOTOE FOR THE DEFENDANT-BANK.

[2001]DLHC1187
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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:#00B0F0">DANICOM LTD<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:#00B0F0">vs.<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:#00B0F0">GHANA COMMERCIAL BANK<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>&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; [2001-2002]
1 GLR 37&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; <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="right" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:right;
mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">Date: 18 OCTOBER 2001<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>KUENYEHIA
&amp; CO FOR THE PLAINTIFF-COMPANY.<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">

A T
TOTOE FOR THE DEFENDANT-BANK. <o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<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">

OFOE
J&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>Ofoe J. <o:p></o:p>The
plaintiffs’ claims against the defendants are for:<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">“(1)
The sum of ¢16,473,165 being commissions wrongly charged and deducted from the
plaintiffs’ account on payment orders paid into the plaintiffs’ account with
the defendants at their Sogakofe branch, which amount the defendants have
refused to pay despite repeated demands. <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">(2)
Interest on the said amount from 1 December 1996 to the date of final payment.”<o:p></o:p>The
résumé of the pleadings of the parties: The plaintiffs, peddlers of petroleum
products, operate a current account with the defendants, the Ghana Commercial
Bank at their Sogakofe Branch. Somewhere in 1996 they noticed that the
defendants were taking commissions or service charge of three-eighth percent on
payment orders originating from other banks and paid into their account. This
charge according to the plaintiffs was imposed without their knowledge or
consent. They drew the defendants’ attention to these improper charges
informing them that the payment orders are as good as cash and the charges were
stopped. However, all attempts to get a refund of the charges already imposed
with interest from the defendants have been met with refusal.<o:p></o:p><a name="_gjdgxs"></a>The defendants in their pleadings deny any
such improper charges, maintaining that they have the right to impose the
charges since that was in line with normal banking practice. For to them
payment orders are not as good as cash as the plaintiffs contend. The
defendants admit however that on the complaint by the plaintiffs they did
exercise their discretion and stopped the charges but this was on the pleading
of their branch manager at Sogakofe. To the defendants the plaintiffs are not
entitled to their claim. At the summons for direction stage the following
issues were set out for trial:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.5in;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(i).&nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether or not the defendants
charged the plaintiffs commission or service charge of three-eighth percent on
payment orders originating from other banks and paid into the plaintiffs’
account with the defendants.<o:p></o:p>