PATRICIA OPPONG vs. MAERSK LINE TEMA [2012]DLHC10706

Date	2012-11-15
Suit No.	SUIT NO. TRIL/3/11
Citation No.	[2012]DLHC10706

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE KWABENA ASUMAN-ADU

MR. AHUMAH OCANSEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF

MR. GEORGE THOMPSON FOR THE DEFENDANT

[2012]DLHC10706
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >PATRICIA OPPONG<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>MAERSK LINE TEMA<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">

SUIT NO. TRIL/3/11 &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;DATE: 15TH
NOVEMBER 2012<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL: <o:p></o:p>MR. AHUMAH OCANSEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">

MR. GEORGE THOMPSON FOR THE DEFENDANT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE KWABENA ASUMAN-ADU<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0in;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
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">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;The
Plaintiff was the wife of one John Clement (deceased) who until his death was
an employee of the Defendant Company. In the course of his duty as a driver of
the Defendant Company he died in a motor accident on 29th November,
2004. On his death the Defendant paid out GH¢16,407.77 on 28th
August, 2007 to dependants of the deceased, including the Plaintiff herein, as
workmen’s compensation.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The
Plaintiff herein was informed by some ex-union members that the sum due her was
her husband’s earnings times 60 as stated in the Workmen’s Compensation Law,
1987 (PNDCL 187). Plaintiff as a result engaged Counsel who intervened by
writing to the Defendant on the issue.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Upon
Counsel’s intervention, the Defendant paid additional amount of GH¢8,904.43 on 6th
January, 2009 to the Plaintiff. However, using the deceased’s November, 2004
salary statement of GH¢453.87, Plaintiff computed the compensation due her per
section 3(1) (a) of the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1987, (PNDCL 187) and
obtained GH¢27,232.20 as compensation payable to the Plaintiff under the Act. <o:p></o:p>The
Plaintiff observed from the above calculation that in spite of the payments
made to her by the Defendant, there had still been miscalculation of her
benefits and also it had allegedly acted fraudulently. So on 14th
January, 2009, the Plaintiff took action against the Defendant.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;On 6th
June 2011, pursuant to leave granted by this Court the Plaintiff filed amended
writ and statement of claim against the Defendant claiming as follows:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Payment of the sum of GH¢16,687.00 to Plaintiff
being the difference between what is calculated as compensation by PNDCL 187,
and what defendant paid her.<o:p></o:p>ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Commercial interest on the sum of GH¢27,232.20 at
prevailing rate effective from May, 2005, six months after the death of her
husband, till 6th January, 2009 when the last installment of money
was paid.<o:p></o:p>iii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Damages for fraudulent conduct by deliberately
breaching PNDCL 187.<o:p></o:p>iv.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Cost<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The
Defendant has denied the claim of the Plaintiff. It claims that a sum of
GH¢5,000.00 was paid to the dependants of the deceased through an insurance
company about two months after the death of John Clement. After the Tema Labour
Officer had advised the Defendant as to how much was exactly due, a further sum
of GH¢11,407.76 was paid to the dependants o</main>