SCANCOM LIMITED vs. STEPHEN WATSON [2010]DLHC4303

Date	2010-05-20
Suit No.	SUIT NO. INDL/60/10
Citation No.	[2010]DLHC4303

KWABENA ASUMAN-ADU

MR. NUTIFAFA NUTSUKPUI FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPLICANT

MR. CHARLES HAYBOR FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT

[2010]DLHC4303
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="OLE_LINK1">SCANCOM
LIMITED<o:p></o:p></a>vs.<o:p></o:p>STEPHEN WATSON<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH COURT (INDUSTRIAL/LABOUR DIVISION),
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.
INDL/60/10&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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
MAY,
2010 <o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>MR.
NUTIFAFA NUTSUKPUI FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPLICANT<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">

MR. CHARLES HAYBOR FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT
<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">

KWABENA
ASUMAN-ADU, JUSTICE
OF THE HIGH COURT<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>The Plaintiff issued Writ of Summons against the
Defendant on 16th March, 2010 for the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.5in;text-align:justify;line-height:
 115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">“A declaration
 that the Defendant is bound by the provisions of the conditions of
 service, including the provisions which restrain him from taking up
 employment with a competitor of the Plaintiff within one year of leaving
 the Plaintiff’s employment.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><ol style="margin-top:0in" start="2" type="1">
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.5in;text-align:justify;line-height:
 115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">An order
 directed at the Defendant to respect the provisions of the Conditions of
 Service which restrain the Defendant from taking up employment with any of
 Plaintiff’s competitors including Vodafone within one year of leaving the
 company”.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On the same day, the Plaintiff filed motion on
notice for an order of interlocutory injunction to restrain the
Defendant/Respondent from breaching the provisions of the conditions of service
that restrain him from taking up employment with Plaintiff/Applicant’s
competitors, including Vodafone, within one year of leaving the Plaintiff until
final determination of the action. The Defendant/Respondent has opposed the
application. This ruling is, therefore, in respect of the said application.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The Plaintiff/Applicant’s case is that on or about
the 28th day of September 2006 the Plaintiff/Applicant made an offer
of employment to the Defendant/Respondent as Head of Section responsible for
Market Research and Studies within the Marketing Division of the company,
effective the 2nd day of October 2006. The Defendant/Respondent
accepted the offer of the appointment by signing and returning a copy of the
letter of appointment to the Plaintiff. According to the Plaintiff/Applicant,
by signing and returning a copy of the letter of appointment to the company,
the Defendant agreed to be bound by the conditions of service of the company.
By the said conditions of service, the Defendant accepted that as a management
and senior staff of the company, he would not within a year of leaving the company
take up employment with any of the company’s competitors in order to protect
the interests of the Plaintiff. In February 2008, the Defendant/Respondent was
appointed to the position of Senior Manager, Business Intelligence, Analysis
and Planning within the Marketing Division.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>According to the Plaintiff/Applicant, by the nature
of the Defendant/Respondent’s job as the company’s Senior Manager responsible
for Business Intelligence, Analysis and Planning, he had access to all of the
Plaintiff’s sensitive and strategic data. He was very much involved in the
development of the Company’s 5-year business and strategic marketing
development plan which the Company is about to implement. Meanwhile, the
Defendant/Respondent has resigned from his position at the company and in
breach of the terms of the conditions of service, he has immediately taken up
employment with Vodafone, a telecommunications company incorporated and
operating within the country.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The Plaintiff/Applicant, therefore, avers that it
will suffer irreparable loss and damage to its interests unless the
Defendant/Respondent is restrained by this Court from taking employment at
Vodafone or any of the Plaintiff’s competitors pendi</main>