ROCKSHELL INTERNATIONAL LTD. (PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS) vs. WAHOME STEEL LTD. (DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS) [2004]DLCA7510

ROCKSHELL INTERNATIONAL LTD. (PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS) vs. WAHOME STEEL LTD. (DEF... [2004]DLCA7510

Date	2004-05-28
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. 104/2001
Citation No.	[2004]DLCA7510

ARYEETEY J.A. (PRESIDING)

ANINAKWAH J.A.

QUAYE J.A.

MR. PETER ZWENNES WITH MR. JAMES ADDO FOR THE DEFENDANTS/ APPELLANTS

MR. WILLIAM ADDO FOR PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS

[2004]DLCA7510
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ROCKSHELL
INTERNATIONAL LTD.<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>WAHOME STEEL
LTD.<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<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="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">CIVIL APPEAL NO.
104/2001&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:
28TH MAY 2004<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
PETER ZWENNES WITH MR. JAMES ADDO FOR THE DEFENDANTS/ APPELLANTS<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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MR. WILLIAM ADDO FOR
PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>ARYEETEY
J.A. (PRESIDING), ANINAKWAH J.A., QUAYE J.A.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>ARYEETEY,
J.A. <o:p></o:p>According
to the indorsement on the plaintiffs/respondents writ of summons they claim for
“(1) The delivery or return or the replacement value of their building at
Lawlawvor Greater Accra Region together with its contents of spare parts,
furniture, stores quarrying, mining and construction equipment belonging to the
plaintiffs and destroyed or unlawfully appropriated or converted by the
defendants to their own use. (2) Damages for unlawful conversion and or
appropriation or destruction by the defendants of the said, stores, quarrying,
mining and construction equipment.” Their pleading gives the basis of their
claim as follows: About ten years prior to filing their Statement of Claim on
15th November 1996, they were awarded a contract in connection with the Keta
Sea Defence project. For the purpose of that contractual arrangement with the
government, they imported into the country plant and equipment, which they kept
at Metsri Kassa in the Volta Region to await the commencement of the execution
of the contract. Meanwhile the government terminated the contract. The
respondents therefore removed the plant and equipment to their quarry site at
Lawlawvor for storage and for hire while they were not in use by them. They
continued to hire out the said equipment to contractors and other clients until
14th April 1993 when their quarrying licence was revoked. Even then, they
continued the hiring of their plant and equipment business until June 1995 when
their equipment at the plant yard at Lawlawvor was consumed by fire set by
agents of the appellants in their effort to gain access to the quarry site and
the said plant and equipment. Upon investigation, it was disclosed that after
the fire the heavy metal equipment for quarrying, mining and other heavy
construction was gas-cut and removed from the site. The pieces of metal were
taken to the premises of the appellants who converted them to their own use.
Before the respondents filed their writ of summons in the High Court, the
appellants' representative had been found guilty of Dishonestly Receiving
contrary to section 146 of the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 129) and convicted by
the Accra Circuit Court.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The appellants on their part denied the respondents'
claim in its entirety. They made it clear in their Statement of Defence that
the Shai Traditional Council, acting through Nene Okuampah Korabo IV, invited
them to remove scrap materials from a site at Lawlawvor. At page 201 of Volume
II of "Exhibits" books, there is a letter from Shai Traditional
Council dated 28th March 1994 addressed to the General Manager of the appellant
company. It reads:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“Dear Sir,<o:p></o:p>AUTHORITY
TO REMOVE SCRAP METALS FROM LORLORVOR-SHAI<o:p></o:p>1.
We have decided to rid Lorlorvor-Shai of all metal scraps which are items
abandoned over the years. 2. We have therefore directed WAHOME STEEL LTD. to
flame-cut and convey to Tema all the metal scraps at the site. <o:p></o:p>3.
All the items collected will be sold to WAHOME STEEL Ltd. based on Tonage. <o:p></o:p>4.
Nene Okuampa Korabo IV has been authorized to contact WAHOME STEEL LTD. for the
sale of these items.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Thank you.<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;&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;
Yours Faithfully,<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;NENE MARTEY CHARTEY AWAH III<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;PRESIDENT SHAI TRADITIONAL COUNCIL” <o:p></o:p>To
enable them gain access to the scraps the Shai Traditional Council caused the
bush to be cleared. They contended that if indeed someone set fire at the
quarry site that might have been done at the instance of Shai Traditional
Council. Pursuant to the agreement reached with the Shai Traditional Council,
they conveyed only ten or so tons of metal scraps from the site to their plant
in Tema in respect of which they made payment at a rate agreed upon by the
parties. The trial judge entered judgment in favour of the respondents in
respect of their claim. The concluding paragraph of the judgment of the court
b</main>