RAMI EL-ASHKAR (PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT) vs. BETTY ADUMUA-BOSSMAN & ANOR. (DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS) [2007]DLCA7475

RAMI EL-ASHKAR (PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT) vs. BETTY ADUMUA-BOSSMAN & ANOR. (DEFENDAN... [2007]DLCA7475

Date	2007-03-16
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/341/2005
Citation No.	[2007]DLCA7475

ASARE KORANG J.A. [PRESIDING]

PIESARE J.A.

APALOO J.A.

MR. W.A.N. ADUMUA-BOSSMAN FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS.

MR. KWEKU GYAN-BAFFOUR FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT.

[2007]DLCA7475
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >RAMI EL-ASHKAR<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>BETTY ADUMUA-BOSSMAN &amp; ANOR.<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>CIVIL
APPEAL NO. H1/341/2005&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 16TH MARCH, 2007<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
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solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
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W.A.N. ADUMUA-BOSSMAN FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS.<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
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solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">MR.
KWEKU GYAN-BAFFOUR FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
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border-bottom:1.5pt solid windowtext;mso-border-bottom-alt:1.5pt solid windowtext">CORAM:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;ASARE
KORANG J.A. [PRESIDING], PIESARE J.A., APALOO J.A.<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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mso-padding-between:1.0pt;padding-top:1.0pt;mso-padding-top-alt:0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;ASARE- KORANG, J. A.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The
Plaintiff/Respondent [Respondent hereinafter] as the sole administrator of the
estate of his late father MOHAMMED ADNAN
MUSTAPHA EL-ASHKAR sued the Defendants/Appellants [Appellants hereinafter]
for the following reliefs.:—<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;"1. A declaration that the plaintiff’s
failure to commence construction on the leased premises H/No. C60/1, Kwame
Nkrumah Avenue, Accra within 2 [two] years of the execution of the lease in
terms of clause 5[c] was not a fundamental breach that cannot be remedied. <o:p></o:p>2. An order of perpetual
injunction restraining the Defendants, their agents, and/or assigns from
interfering with the plaintiff's right to possession and commencement of
construction under the lease agreement. <o:p></o:p>3. An order demanded in the
interest of justice, to remedy that part of the term wasted by the Defendants'
conduct." <o:p></o:p>The
Respondent's case was that on the 1st day of July, 1977, his deceased father
entered into a building lease with one Mrs. Motilewa Adumua-Bossman over part
of the property known as H/No. C60/1, Adabraka, Accra for the purpose of
erecting or causing to be erected on the said property by the plaintiff's late
father a commercial building consisting of offices and shops. <o:p></o:p>The
lease, tendered as Exhibit ‘A’ at the trial, was to run for a period of 60 years
and it was a covenant under the Lease that the Lessee was to commence building
operations on the property within a period of two years from the commencement
of the agreement.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Having regard to the arguments canvassed in
this appeal, I think it is important to set down in full the said covenant
contained in clause 5[c] of the lease. It reads:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;"5. The LESSEE covenants with the lessor
as follows:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[c] At his own cost within the period of two
[2] years from the date hereof to commence development of the land by
construction or causing to be constructed in a substantial, or workman-like
manner with suitable materials of their several kinds and in conformity in
every respect with the plans, elevations, sections and specifications [hereto
annexed] and to the satisfaction in all respects of the surveyor for the time
being of the Lessor on the said land a commercial building consisting of shops
and offices with drains sewers connections and other conveniences and
appurtenances on the said construction in labour and materials a total sum of
not less than ¢750,000.00 [over Hundred and fifty Thousand Cedis] reckoning at
the lowest market prices for both labour and materials." <o:p></o:p>By
virtue of this stipulation in the Lease, building operations on the land should
have commenced in 1979 but the lessee failed or neglected to undertake any
construction on the land within the specified period or at any time immediately
thereafter.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It was some time in 1995, almost 20 years
after the execution of the lease that the deceased lessee manifested an
intention to commence construction under the lease agreement. The deceased
lessee was then informed that there was litigation pending on the land and that
a court injunction had been placed on the land as a result of the litigation. <o:p></o:p>Thereafter
the respondent's father [lessee] died and the respondent, as administrator,
wrote to the Appellants solicitor asking a</main>