[2013]DLHC17357 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><a name="_Hlk154138250"></a><a name="_Hlk152146143"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">ROSE LAMIOKOR <o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; color: rgb(0, 176, 240);"><b>vs.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">BENJAMIN OFFEI <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">(DEFENDANT)</span></i><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt 168.75pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua""> </span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">Suit No. RPC/408/2013 DATE: 27<sup>TH</sup> NOVEMBER 2013</span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">COUNSEL<o:p></o:p></span></b></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;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in; mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">NARTEY TETTEH FOR PLAINTIFF<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">CORAM <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">JENNIFER DODOO (MRS)</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: black; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0in 0in;"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 0in 0in"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">JUDGMENT</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The Plaintiff’s claim was for an amount of<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>GH¢75,400.00 together with interest as well as general damages for breach of contract.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The Plaintiff’s case was that she was a businesswoman trading in textiles/clothing materials.<span style="letter-spacing: 2.0pt"> </span>The Defendant, a businessman had collected textile materials worth GH¢75,400.00 from her in 2010.<span style="letter-spacing:4.0pt"> </span>He had failed to pay to her the amount owed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The Defendant<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt"> </span>caused<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>his Solicitor to<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt"> </span>enter appearance<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>for him but<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt"> </span>failed to<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>file<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>a <span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">defence.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The Plaintiff therefore<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>applied for and<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt"> </span>obtained judgment<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>in<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>default<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>defence on the liquidated claim.<span style="letter-spacing:4.0pt"> </span>Although the Defendant was served with the application for judgment in default of defence on 29<span style="position:relative;top:-4.5pt;mso-text-raise:4.5pt">th<span style="letter-spacing:1.3pt"> </span></span>October 2013, he failed to file an affidavit in opposition, a defence or even to show up in court to be heard on the matter.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The matter was consequently adjourned for the Plaintiff to lead evidence in assessment of damages for breach of contract.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">Hearing<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt"> </span>Notices served on<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>him<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>for 7<span style="position:relative; top:-4.5pt;mso-text-raise:4.5pt">th<span style="letter-spacing:1.15pt"> </span></span>and<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt"> </span>21<span style="position:relative; top:-4.5pt;mso-text-raise:4.5pt">st<span style="letter-spacing:1.05pt"> </span></span>November 2013<span style="letter-spacing:-.2pt"> </span>went<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt"> </span>unheeded. The court proceeded to hear the Plaintiff in the Defendant’s absence.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The Plaintiff told the court in her evidence on oath that the business relationship between herself and the Defendant was that she gave him goods on credit and he paid her accordingly.<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>However with this particular supply, he failed to produce the <span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">money.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">As a result, it had affected her business.<span style="letter-spacing:4.0pt"> </span>According to her, she went for a bank loan to run her business.<span style="letter-spacing:4.0pt"> </span>Since she had not been able to repay the loan, the bank had threatened to sell her house.<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>She had also been rendered unemployed by the Defendant’s refusal to pay her as all the money she had was in the Defendant’s possession.<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>She tendered in evidence the letter written to her by the bank.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0in;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">Plaintiff’s Counsel in his address has argued that the direct cause of the failure of