KWAKU BONSU vs. AMA AGYEMANG [2012]DLSC3061

Date	2012-05-09
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/10/2012
Citation No.	[2012]DLSC3061

AKUFFO (MS) JSC (PRESIDING)

DATE-BAH JSC

ANSAH JSC

DOTSE JSC

AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS) JSC

J. K AGYEMENG WITH HIM KWAME AKUFFO BOAFO FOR THE APPELLANT.

DAVID BOAFO FOR THE RESPONDENT.

<p class="mb-5" id="contentDlCitation"  hidden>[2012]DLSC3061</p>
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: center; line-height: 15.55pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#00B0F0;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">KWAKU
BONSU</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: center; line-height: 15.55pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#00B0F0;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">vs.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: center; line-height: 15.55pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#00B0F0;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">AMA
AGYEMANG</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom: 1.5pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/10/2012&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;DATE:&nbsp;9<sup>TH</sup>&nbsp;MAY,
2012<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">COUNSEL:&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;</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 15.55pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">J. K AGYEMENG WITH HIM KWAME AKUFFO BOAFO
FOR THE APPELLANT.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom: 1.5pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 15.55pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">DAVID BOAFO
FOR THE RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">CORAM:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">AKUFFO (MS)&nbsp; JSC (PRESIDING), DATE-BAH JSC, ANSAH JSC, DOTSE
JSC,AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS) JSC<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top: 1.5pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom: 1.5pt solid windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">DR. DATE-BAH JSC</span></u></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The issues raised by this appeal are principally those of law,
although there are also some issues of fact.&nbsp; The principal legal issue
raised is:&nbsp; when may the remedy of specific performance, which is usually
available in relation to contracts for the purchase of land, be withheld from a
purchaser of land?&nbsp; The settled conventional position of the law is that,
upon breach of a contract for the sale of land, the primary remedy available to
the innocent party is specific performance, although this is a discretionary
equitable remedy.&nbsp;&nbsp; The facts of this case require this court to
inquire into the circumstances in which this settled view of the law will be
departed from.&nbsp; Courts in common law countries have relied on a limited
range of grounds in the exceptional cases where the remedy of specific
performance has been denied to a purchaser of land.&nbsp; The judgments in the
Court of Appeal in this case raise the issue whether any of these grounds is
applicable on the facts here.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The facts</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The plaintiff in this case sued the defendant, claiming an order
of specific performance of an agreement reached between him and the defendant
on or around 3<sup>rd</sup>&nbsp;October 2007 in respect of land situated at
Achimota, next to the Accra Motorway Extension.&nbsp; He also claimed an
injunction restraining the defendant from selling the land in dispute to any
third party pending the final determination of the suit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">After a full trial, the learned trial High Court Judge, her
Ladyship Novisi Aryene J, upheld the claim of the plaintiff and, in a judgment
of 5<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;November, 2010, granted him an order for specific
performance of the contract for the purchase of the land in dispute which she
held had been proven on the evidence.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" sty</main>