BLACK STAR TELEVISION (GHANA) LIMITED vs. GHANA TELECOMMUNICATIONS CO. LTD [2013]DLCA8073

Date	2013-06-27
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/218/2012
Citation No.	[2013]DLCA8073

APALOO J.A (PRESIDING)

KORBIEH J.A

SOWAH (MRS) J.A

[2013]DLCA8073
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >BLACK STAR
TELEVISION (GHANA) LIMITED<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>GHANA
TELECOMMUNICATIONS CO. LTD<o:p></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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

CIVIL
APPEAL NO. H1/218/2012&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 27TH JUNE, 2013<o:p></o:p>

</div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">CORAM:<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

APALOO
J.A (PRESIDING), KORBIEH J.A, SOWAH (MRS) 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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>SOWAH JA<o:p></o:p>On
21st December 2007, the plaintiff/appellant [hereafter referred to
as the plaintiff] entered into a written agreement with the
defendant/respondent/cross-petitioner [hereafter referred to as the defendant]
whereby they agreed to collaborate to provide digital mobile television
services to the public on the defendants GT/OneTouch network through
terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasting device (T-DMB). Revenue was to be
generated from the sale of the device and monthly subscription by customers of
the defendants OneTouch network, and was to be shared in a ratio of 90% to
plaintiff and 10% to the defendant. Prior to the execution of the contract, the
defendant is alleged to have demonstrated its commitment to the project by
paying the commitment fee of US$300,000 and securing exclusivity rights for one
year from the commercial launch. Based on these assurances, the plaintiff
purports to have acquired office, broadcasting and residential premises,
invested in acquiring human and technological capacity, installed transmitters
and antennae on defendants premises at Accra and Kumasi, and obtained bank
loans which it secured with landed properties. Claiming that the defendant had
failed to perform its obligation under the agreement as a result of which the
commercial launch of the project could not take place, and that the breach had
occasioned huge losses amounting to US$5,000,000.00 plus anticipated profits of
US$2,000,000.00, the plaintiff sued the defendant at the Commercial Division of
the High Court, Accra, for the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Damages for breach of
contract including loss of investment and anticipated profits<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Any other reliefs as the
Honourable Court deems fit.<o:p></o:p>The
defendant on the other hand contended that it had invested US$1,624,178 in the
project and had not benefitted from its investment. It said it had lawfully
terminated the agreement after the plaintiff had requested additional
investment of US$5,656,453 contrary to the contract. Defendant counterclaimed
for the sum of GH¢84,711 being the difference between cost of 561 pieces of
phones it purchased from the plaintiff and their retail at reduced prices,
together with interest thereon and also payment of 350 handsets procured from
it by the plaintiff for sale.<o:p></o:p>Three relevant issues were set down by the
trial judge. These were:<o:p></o:p><ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="I">
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3">Whether or not defendant was in breach of the
 contract <o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3">Whether or not plaintiff is entitled to its claim<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo3">Whether or not defendant is entitled to their
 counterclaim<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>After
a full trial, the substantive issues were all resolved in favour of the
plaintiff. The defendant was held to have unlawfully terminated the agreement
and plaintiff was held entitled to damages for the breach. Judgment was entered
for the plaintiff on 19th January 2012 and she was awarded
GH¢20,000.00 as nominal damages and costs assessed at GH¢5,000.00. The
defendants counterclaim was dismissed. <o:p></o:p>Being
dissatisfied with the award of GH¢20,000 in nominal damages, the plaintiff has
appealed against the judgment on the following grounds: <o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The learned trial judge
acted on wrong principles of law in the assessment of damages<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;