JOHN FREEMAN DONKOR & ANOTHER vs. SMALL SCALE FINANCIAL AND ASSISTANCE COMPANY LTD. [2012]DLCA3208

JOHN FREEMAN DONKOR & ANOTHER vs. SMALL SCALE FINANCIAL AND ASSISTANCE COMPANY L... [2012]DLCA3208

Date	2012-11-30
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/37/2012
Citation No.	[2012]DLCA3208

JUSTICE FRANCIS G KORBIEH JA [PRESIDING]

JUSTICE IRENE C DANQUAH JA

JUSTICE ALHAJI TANKO AMADU JA

ADJEI BEDIAKO ESQ. FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

WILLIAM KUSI ESQ. FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT.

[2012]DLCA3208
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >JOHN FREEMAN DONKOR
&amp; ANOTHER<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>SMALL SCALE FINANCIAL
AND ASSISTANCE COMPANY LTD.<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0"><o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<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. H1/37/2012&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 30TH
NOVEMBER, 2012<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>ADJEI BEDIAKO ESQ. FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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WILLIAM KUSI ESQ. FOR PLAINTIFF/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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JUSTICE
FRANCIS G KORBIEH JA [PRESIDING], JUSTICE IRENE C DANQUAH JA, JUSTICE ALHAJI TANKO AMADU JA<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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JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>IRENE
C DANQUAH, JA<o:p></o:p>This appeal
emanates from the judgment of the High Court, Kumasi dated 23 November, 2009.
In the said judgment, the High Court upheld the Plaintiff’s claim for recovery
of the sum of GH¢37,325.00 financial assistance granted
the 1st Defendant and guaranteed by the 2nd Defendant
with interest at the current bank rate from October, 2002 till date of final
judgment. The Trial Court further awarded cost of GH¢3000.00
in favour
of the Plaintiff. <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Dissatisfied with
the said judgment, the Defendants mounted this appeal on five main grounds.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The brief facts of
the case as pleaded by the Plaintiff are that the 1st Defendant who
is a businessman and proprietor of Freeman Hotel at Asokwa- Kumasi in or about
August 2002 requested for financial assistance to enable him renovate his said
hotel. The Plaintiff upon the request granted the 1st Defendant a
sum of GH ¢44,625.00
which was guaranteed by the 2nd Defendant who is the manager of the
1st Defendant’s hotel. The 1st Defendant further pledged
his interest in the hotel. The Defendants by February 2003 had paid a total
amount of GH¢7,300.00
leaving the outstanding amount claimed on the writ against the 1st
and 2nd Defendants jointly and severally.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In their defence,
the Defendants denied that there was ever a financial transaction between the
Plaintiff and the Defendants. The Defendants averred that the 1st
Defendant approached the Manager of the Plaintiff in the person of Albert Fynn
and discussed with him concerning a proposed partnership in a business
transaction in a kind of mineral commonly known as Garin Dust. Based upon
the interest shown by Albert Fynn, the 1st Defendant and Albert Fynn
travelled to Accra where they met a white man simply known as Charles and had
discussions with him in connection with the Garin Dust. Mr. Fynn then
paid an amount of USD$50.000.00 to the white man for a substance they believed
to be Garin Dust. The business transaction turned out to be a sham/
hoax as the substance believed to be Garin Dust was later detected to be
fake and valueless. The Defendants contended that even if the 1st
Defendant executed agreements to the effect that he received any financial
assistance from the Plaintiff, then same was done as a result of fraud
perpetuated on the 1st Defendant by the said Fynn and gave the
particulars of fraud as follows:<o:p></o:p>“i.
The said Albert Fynn knew that the 1st Defendant did not in fact
require the alleged amount to renovate his hotel building.<o:p></o:p>ii.
The Plaintiff’s agent Mr. Fynn knew that the said amount was for a business
transaction in respect of Garin Dust. “<o:p></o:p>