ROSINA ARYEE vs. SHELL GHANA LIMITED FRAGA OIL [2013]DLCA5129

Date	2013-11-21
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/119/2012
Citation No.	[2013]DLCA5129

KUSI-APPIAH J.A. (PRESIDING)

APALOO J.A.

DZAMEFE J.A.

MR. THOMAS HUGHES FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT

MR. RICHARD AMOFA FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT

MR. CHARLES HAYIBOR FOR CO-DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT

[2013]DLCA5129
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ROSINA ARYEE<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>SHELL GHANA LIMITED<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>FRAGA OIL<o:p></o:p>(CO-DEFENDANT/RESDPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</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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<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center;
text-indent:-.5in;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">CIVIL APPEAL NO.
H1/119/2012&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;DATE: &nbsp;21ST NOVEMBER, 2013<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR. THOMAS HUGHES FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p>MR. RICHARD AMOFA FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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MR. CHARLES HAYIBOR FOR
CO-DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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KUSI-APPIAH J.A. (PRESIDING), APALOO
J.A., DZAMEFE J.A.<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;
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JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>Kusi-Appiah,
J.A.:&nbsp;
This is an
appeal from the decision of the High Court (Fast Track Division) Accra, dated
28th of July, 2011 in favour of the defendants, now Respondents
against the plaintiff, now Appellant.&nbsp; A
brief summary of the events culminating in this appeal will certainly help us
appreciate matters.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>By a writ of summons and statement
of claim filed on 23rd of October 2008, the plaintiff claims against
the 1st defendant inter alia:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Forfeiture
of the 15-year lease of the plaintiff’s two (2) properties situate at Adenta-Accra
by reason of denial of plaintiff’s title.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ejectment
and recovery of possession for non-payment of rent.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>3&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; General
damages for breach of contract.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The salient facts arising on the
pleadings are not complicated.&nbsp; The
plaintiff’s claim as per the accompanying statement of claim is that the
plaintiff leased her two (2) properties situate at Adenta, Accra to the 1st
defendant for a term of 15 years from 6th August, 1998.&nbsp; The rent eligible was paid for the first
10-year period.&nbsp; When the ten years ended
and plaintiff demanded the rent for the next five years, the 1st
defendant refused to pay same on the pretext that it no longer recognizes the
plaintiff as the owner/landlord of the properties, but rather recognizes the
co-defendant as the owner thereof.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>According to the plaintiff, the 1st
defendant having denied her title and refusing to pay the rent, she is entitled
to recover possession and damages as the 1st defendant’s acts
constitute a breach of contract, hence this action. <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>For her part, the 1st
defendant from its statement of defence admits the agreement and the payment of
rent to the plaintiff for the lease of two properties, situate at a place known
as Plot No. 4A Lami Dwaahe Street, Adenta Housing Estates, Accra based on
representations made to it by the plaintiff that she was a lessee of State
Housing Company Limited.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It is the case of the 1st
defendant that after the execution of the lease, it conducted a search at the
Lands Commission and this search revealed that the plaintiff has no title to
the land and has all along fraudulently misrepresented to the defendant that
she had title.&nbsp; The 1st
defendant averred that the search further revealed that the co-defendant has
leasehold in t</main>