ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE OFFICIAL LIQUIDATOR (BLACK STAR LINE LTD) vs. ALEX ABOAGYE AND 258 OTHERS [2012]DLCA4462

ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE OFFICIAL LIQUIDATOR (BLACK STAR LINE LTD) vs. ALEX ABO... [2012]DLCA4462

Date	2012-11-15
Suit No.	H1/184/2011
Citation No.	[2012]DLCA4462

AKAMBA J.B (PRESIDING)

APALOO R. (JUSTICE OF APPEAL)

DANQUAH I. (MRS.) (JUSTICE OF APPEAL)

MR. EMMANUEL S. GOKA FOR 2ND DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

MR. MATTHEW OBENG FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2012]DLCA4462
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE OFFICIAL LIQUIDATOR (BLACK STAR LINE
LTD)<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ALEX ABOAGYE AND 258 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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&nbsp;H1/184/2011&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;15th
November, 2012<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
EMMANUEL S. GOKA FOR 2ND 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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AKAMBA J.B (PRESIDING), APALOO R.&nbsp; (JUSTICE OF APPEAL), DANQUAH I. (MRS.) (JUSTICE
OF APPEAL)<o:p></o:p>

</div><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>AKAMBA, JSC: <o:p></o:p>The
1st and 2nd plaintiffs/respondents and 257 others issued
a writ of summons as plaintiffs in the High Court, Tema against the 1st
defendant /appellant and the Divestiture Implementation Committee per the
Executive Secretary as defendants. The Divestiture Implementation Committee was
later struck out and substituted by the Official Liquidator (Black Star Line Ltd)
as 2nd defendant. In this appeal the plaintiffs/respondents will be
referred to simply as plaintiffs and the defendants/appellants also simply as
defendants just as they were described in the trial court. <o:p></o:p>After
a full trial before the late Gyamera-Tawiah J. (as he then was) the trial judge
made entries in the case docket on 10th March 2009 to the following
effect namely:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“By Court: Judgment was entered in this case
as follows: <o:p></o:p>(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Plaintiff herein have (sic) been found
to be ex-employees of the defunct, Black Star Line Limited.<o:p></o:p>(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Plaintiffs herein are to be paid
adequate compensation in the form of ex-gratia award by 2nd
defendant herein i.e. the official Liquidator of Black Star Line Limited.<o:p></o:p>(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Plaintiffs together with their lawyer
are to sit down with the Official Liquidator to determine &nbsp;how much is to be paid to each plaintiff in
respect of the ex-gratia award as to the number of years each worker have (sic)
served. This is to be done within (30) thirty days. I award plaintiffs cost
(sic) of GH¢2000.00.”&nbsp; &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>The
2nd defendants who are aggrieved and dissatisfied with the decision
or judgment of the High Court have appealed to this court. They filed the
following grounds:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“(a) The judgment is against the weight of
evidence.<o:p></o:p>(b)
The learned Judge erred in law, when he held that the plaintiffs are entitled
to be paid an ex-gratia.<o:p></o:p>(c)
Additional grounds will be filed upon receipt of the record of proceedings.”<o:p></o:p>I
will determine the grounds in the same order as set out above.<o:p></o:p>