HALLE AND SONNS A.S. vs. BANK OF GHANA AND WARM WEATHER ENTERPRISE LTD [2010]DLSC4147

Date	2010-07-07
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/37/2009
Citation No.	[2010]DLSC4147

AKUFFO (MS) JSC (PRESIDING)

DR. DATE-BAH JSC

ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC

AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS) JSC

ATTA AKYEA FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT/APPELLANT

J. K. AGYEMANG FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT.

[2010]DLSC4147
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >HALLE AND SONNS A.S.<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>BANK OF GHANA AND WARM
WEATHER ENTERPRISE LTD<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[SUPREME COURT, 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">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/37/2009 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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: 7TH
JULY, 2010<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>ATTA AKYEA FOR THE
PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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J.
K. AGYEMANG FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT/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;
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AKUFFO
(MS) JSC (PRESIDING), DR. DATE-BAH JSC, ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC, BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC,
AND AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS) JSC<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;
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JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>ADINYIRA (MRS), JSC:-&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>“Although I agree that a Court cannot conduct its
business without a code of procedure, I think that the relation of rules of
practice to the work of justice is intended to be that of a handmaid rather
than a mistress, and the Court ought not be so far bound and tied by rules,
which are after all only intended as general rules of procedure, as to be
compelled to do what would cause injustice in the particular case”. Per
Collin’s M.R. in, In re Coles &amp; Ravenshear [1907] 1KB 1at page 4.<o:p></o:p>FACTS<o:p></o:p>The
facts briefly are that, sometime in 1991, Halle and Sons A.S. the
Plaintiff/Appellant (hereinafter Appellant)&nbsp;
a Norwegian firm allegedly exported fish worth US$ 1,500,000.00 to a
Ghanaian company, Warm Weather Enterprise Ltd., the 2nd Defendant
/Respondent (herein after 2nd Respondent) on an avalised bill of
exchange that was guaranteed by the erstwhile Volta Premier Rural Bank Ltd. In
the intervening period the rural bank became financially distressed and the
Bank of Ghana took over the operations of the rural bank. According to the
Appellant despite the delivery of the fish the Respondents failed to settle the
bill. The Appellant therefore issued a writ of summons on 15 December 1998 at
the Accra High Court against the Respondents for the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Recovery of the
sum of US$ 1,500,000.00 being the value of fish supplied to 2nd Respondent
on an avalised bill of exchange guaranteed by Volta Premier Bank and accepted
by 2nd Respondent.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Interest on the
sum of US$ 1,500,000.00 at the prevailing rate of interest from 1/6/91 to date
of final payment.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp; iii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Damages for
negligence against 1st Respondent for professional negligence.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp; iv.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
General
Damages.<o:p></o:p>