[2012]DLCA7034 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;tab-stops:101.25pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; color:#00B0F0">GEORGE A. LARBI<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;tab-stops:101.25pt"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;tab-stops:101.25pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;tab-stops:101.25pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"; color:#00B0F0">S.S.N.I.T.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:center; tab-stops:101.25pt"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">(DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;tab-stops:101.25pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">CIVIL APPEAL NO.: HI/62/2011 </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> DATE: 20<sup>TH</sup> APRIL, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt; border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;border-right:none; padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;tab-stops: 101.25pt;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"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">CORAM: </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;tab-stops: 101.25pt;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"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">WOOD J.A. (PRESIDING), BENIN J.A., AFREH J.A.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> </div><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;tab-stops:101.25pt;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;mso-border-between:1.5pt solid windowtext; mso-padding-between:1.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">WOOD, J.A. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">We dismissed this appeal from the decision of Her Honour Miss A.M.A. Dzordzie, as she then was sitting at the Accra Circuit court and reserved our reasons. We now give them. The facts giving rise to this action are simple and devoid of any complex legal issues. Not unsurprisingly, the evidence led on both sides is equally straightforward and brief. It is therefore surprising that this appeal is based not only on five main grounds but raises also very many issues of law, some of which were never raised at the trial. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">The facts which led to the commencement of these proceedings are that by a letter dated 19th June, 1992, the respondent corporation wrote to the appellant, terminating his appointment with the respondent. The letter indicated the grounds upon which the termination was based. It was alleged that, in answering a query sent to him he had “used unacceptable language in his replace to both the Regional Manager and Head of Personnel. Such conduct it was pointed out was "in contravention of the laid down procedure and regulations of the Trust" But, because the sanction imposed on him was a termination and not a summary dismissal, the respondent paid him all his just entitlements made up of his: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">(1) The balance of his enhanced provident fund.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> (2) Balance on Savings account,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> (3) A long service award of ¢20.000.00<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> (4) Three (3) months Salary in lieu of notice. This of course was subject to whatever moneys he owed the trust and or other institutions, the Social Security Bank Ltd included. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">Not in the least satisfied with this turn of events, he sued the respondents:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> (a) a declaration that the termination was a nullity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> (b) Reinstatement or in the alternative damages for wrongful dismissal. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">By the paragraph of his statement of claim, he complains that the termination was not only wrongful but incompetent and a complete nullity. The following were set out as the particulars. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">First, that "as an officer Grade I the plaintiff cannot be terminated under Article 1 Sub-Section 7(a) of the defendants rules of service which does not apply to him. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">Secondly, that the disciplinary Committee which investigated his conduct was not properly constituted and was in contravention of the laid-down procedure and regulations of the Trust in so far as two junior members of staff were made to sit on the committee and the termination letter was not signed by the General Manager (Administration), the officer authorised to do so under the regulations of the Trust. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">After a critical examination of his claim and the evidence adduced on both sides, the trial judge dismissed his claim. By this appeal, he has invited us to set aside the decision of the court below and award him such damages as we think the circumstances justify.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""> Before we turn to the substantive grounds it would be appropriate to deal with the preliminary objection raised by the appellant counsel in his reply. The objection is that since the respondent filed his written reply well after three weeks, the period limited under Court of Appeal Rules, 1997, C.I.19, rule 20 subrule 4 he must be deemed to have filed any answer and consequently he must not be heard in these proceedings. Again, it was urged this court has no discretion to extend the time limited under the rules and therefore it was urged that this defect was uncapable of cure. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:101.25pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">We think that the argument that this Court has no jurisdiction to extend or enlarge the time within which a respondent may file a