PATRICIA OPPONG vs. MAERSK LINE TEMA [2012]DLHC4350

Date	2012-11-15
Suit No.	SUIT NO. TRIL/3/2011
Citation No.	[2012]DLHC4350

KWABENA ASUMAN-ADU

MR. AHUMAH OCANSEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF

MR. GEORGE THOMPSON FOR THE DEFENDANT

[2012]DLHC4350
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="OLE_LINK1">PATRICIA
OPPONG<o:p></o:p></a>vs.<o:p></o:p>MAERSK LINE TEMA <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT (INDUSTRIAL/LABOUR
DIVISION), 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">

SUIT NO.
TRIL/3/2011&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;DATE: 15TH NOVEMBER, 2012 <o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>MR.
AHUMAH OCANSEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF<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">

</div>CORAM: <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">

KWABENA
ASUMAN-ADU, JUSTICE
OF THE HIGH COURT<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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>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><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>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><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>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><o:p>&nbsp;</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><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>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><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;text-indent:
-.5in;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;text-indent:
-.5in;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&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><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;text-indent:
-.5in;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">iii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&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>