GHANA COCOA BOARD vs. MESSRS AWURA JULIE CONSTRUCTION [2009]DLHC4182

Date	2009-10-20
Suit No.	SUIT NO. L 678/96
Citation No.	[2009]DLHC4182

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE P. BRIGHT MENSAH ESQ

J.D. CLOTTEY-SEFAH FOR THE PLAINTIFFS

ADJEI LARTEY FOR THE DEFENDANTS

[2009]DLHC4182
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >GHANA COCOA BOARD<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>MESSRS AWURA JULIE
CONSTRUCTION<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT (FINANCIAL DIVISION ONE), ACCRA]<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">

SUIT NO. L 678/96&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 20TH OCTOBER,
2009<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>J.D.
CLOTTEY-SEFAH FOR THE PLAINTIFFS<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">

ADJEI
LARTEY FOR THE DEFENDANTS<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HIS
LORDSHIP JUSTICE P. BRIGHT MENSAH ESQ<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%;
border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>This
case was set down for judgment on 31st day of July, 2009.&nbsp; However, by reason of a “Motion On Notice of
Arrest Judgment” filed on 30th July, 2009 on behalf of the
defendants/applicants hearing of which was fixed for today, ie 20th October,
2009 I had to suspend the delivery of the judgment.&nbsp; Incidentally when the case was called today
the defendants/applicants were not in court but Lawyer Eben Quarcoe who
announced himself as holding the brief of Mr Adjei Lartey, Counsel for the
defendants/applicants, appeared.<o:p></o:p>Curiously
enough, Counsel has told the court that although he was holding his senior’s
brief, he only brought a file but without the brief and that he has been
instructed only to take a date.&nbsp; Having
regard to the fact that the defendants/ applicants were not court in and their
lawyer also having said that he did not have the brief so as to move the court,
I take the view that both the applicants and their lawyers are not serious with
the application.&nbsp; In any event the
application is dismissed as unmeritorious.&nbsp;
I thus proceed to deliver the judgment.<o:p></o:p>The
Plaintiff claims against the defendants the reliefs listed here below:-<o:p></o:p>a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Recovery of possession of Plot No. 103,
Motorway Industrial Area, Accra;<o:p></o:p>b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Arrears of rent from 6th November, 1992 to
date of judgment;<o:p></o:p>c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mesne profit;<o:p></o:p>d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interest on the said amount from 6th November,
1992 to date of final payment;<o:p></o:p>e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Costs.<o:p></o:p>It
is on record that the defendant filed a late Statement of Defence and
additionally counterclaimed as follows:-<o:p></o:p>a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An order or orders to set off against rent
the cost of rehabilitation of the premises.<o:p></o:p>b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An order or orders for the valuation of
the property and recommendation of appropriate rent to be paid for the
premises.<o:p></o:p>ISSUES:<o:p></o:p>The
Issues contained in the Summons for Direction filed by the Plaintiff on 18/3/97
and set down for determination were as follows:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Whether or not Plaintiffs entered into a
tenancy agreement with the defendants.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Whether or not Plaintiffs have since 1993
refused and/or failed to pay rent.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Whether or not defendants have refused to
execute tenancy agreement.<o:p></o:p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Whether or not Plaintiffs consented to the
structural alteration effected on the premises by defendants.<o:p></o:p>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Whether or not rent was agreed upon to be
paid in dollars.<o:p></o:p>6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Whether or not the Plaintiffs are entitled
to their claims.<o:p></o:p>7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Whether or not the defendant is entitled
to her counterclaim.<o:p></o:p>I
shall combine Issues 1 – 5 and address them simultaneously and finally
determine Issues 6 and 7 together.<o:p></o:p>Before
setting out to address the Issues, it is desirable to put it on record that the
instant case was a partly-heard case before Abada J.&nbsp; The case was transferred to this court by
transfer order by Her Ladyship, the Chief Justice.&nbsp; It recalls that by an agreement of Counsel
for the parties, this court by its order of 13/2/09 adopted the proceedings of
Abada J for continuation.&nbsp; But the
defendants never appeared to prosecute their case.&nbsp; At the time the proceedings were adopted the
defendants had opened their defence and offered evidence via the Chief
Executive, Kofi Ofori Addo.&nbsp; However,
since they were not prepared to appear before this court to continue with the
hearing of the case and as the case could not b</main>