HOTEL CHEZ MOI vs. UNIBANK [GH] LIMITED & F. O. SQUIRE [2008]DLCA6493

Date	2008-05-22
Suit No.	COURT OF APPEAL NO.: HI/35/2008
Citation No.	[2008]DLCA6493

QUAYE JA [PRESIDING]

DOTSE JA

APALOO JA

MR. S.K. AMOAH FOR PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS

MR. KWAKU GYAU BAAFOUR FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENTS

[2008]DLCA6493
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >HOTEL CHEZ MOI<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>UNIBANK [GH] LIMITED &amp; F. O. SQUIRE<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>COURT
OF APPEAL NO.: HI/35/2008&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 22ND MAY, 2008<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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COUNSEL:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

MR.
S.K. AMOAH FOR PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS. <o:p></o:p>

MR.
KWAKU GYAU BAAFOUR FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENTS<o:p></o:p>

</div>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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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>QUAYE JA [PRESIDING], DOTSE
JA, APALOO JA<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="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
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</div>APALOO, JA.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;This appeal emanates from the judgment of the
High Court Accra dated 10th May 2007.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The facts leading to the decision of the lower
court are not in dispute.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Plaintiff/Appellant (hereinafter referred
to as Appellant) became indebted to the 1st Defendant/Respondent a Bank
(hereinafter referred to as the 1st Respondent), consequently it sued in the
High Court Accra and obtained judgment against the Appellant. At the time of
going into execution the judgment debt stood ¢1,182,136,200.00.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Arising out of that judgment the 1st
Respondent attached the movable and immovable property of the Appellant. By a
letter dated 11th April, 2005 the Deputy Sheriff requested Tent Services a firm
of valuers to do a valuation of the property under attachment. The letter was
copied to Messrs F.O. Squire &amp; Co. the Licensed Auctioneer (hereinafter
called 2nd Respondent) who was to conduct the sale and actually undertook the sale.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The movable property listed hereunder were all
sold without reserved price for the of sum ¢7,000,000.00.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(a) 2 No. 12 inch LG Television set.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(b) 1 No. 28 inch Sansui Television set.<o:p></o:p>(c)
2 No. Bedside LG Refrigerators.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(d) 1 No. Panasonic Fax Machine.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(e) 2 No Cyber Star CPU Monitors with Key
Board and Mouse.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It is noted that the Appellant had paid the
1st Respondent the outstanding balance on the judgment debt as at now; however
being aggrieved by the sale which was done without a reserved price, it accordingly
issued a Writ of Summons against the two Respondents for the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“(a) A declaration that the sale of the
movable properties of the Plaintiff without a reserved price is wrongful and
unlawful.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(b) General damages of ¢400,000,000.00 for the
wrongful and unlawful sale of the Plaintiff’s movable properties.”<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The trial ended in favour of the Respondents
with the trial judge having dismissed the action. The Court below was of the
view that the sale was not subject to a reserved price. <o:p></o:p>Of
the three grounds of appeal filed by the appellant, it is our view that the two
grounds of appeal canvassed before this Court can conveniently resolve this
appeal. The grounds were that; <o:p></o:p>“(a) The Learned Trial Judge erred in
holding that the sale did not have to be subject to a reserved price. <o:p></o:p>(b) The Learned Trial Judge erred in
holding that the Plaintiff failed to prove that it had suffered any substantial
injury by reason of any material irregularity, illegality in the conduct of the
sale.”<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In attempt to resolve the issues before her
the trial Judge delivered herself in these words;<o:p</main>