AGRI DEV BANK vs. MOSES OKRAH [2013]DLSC3053

Date	2013-01-25
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL :HI/02/2012
Citation No.	[2013]DLSC3053

JUSTICE E K AYEBI JA [PRESIDING]

JUSTICE IRENE C DANQUAH JA

JUSTICE ALHAJI TANKO AMADU JA

JACOB ARYEE FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

WILLIAM O. ODURO FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT.

[2013]DLSC3053
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >AGRI DEV BANK<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>MOSES OKRAH<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<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">

CIVIL
APPEAL :HI/02/2012&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Date:
25TH JANUARY, 2013<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>JACOB ARYEE FOR
DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>JUSTICE E K AYEBI JA
[PRESIDING], JUSTICE IRENE C DANQUAH JA, JUSTICE ALHAJI TANKO AMADU JA<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none;
mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>IRENE
C DANQUAH JA<o:p></o:p>The Plaintiff was a
junior staff of the Defendant Bank and served in that capacity at Techiman,
Bonsu Nkwanta and Kwapong Branches of the Bank.&nbsp;
He was one of the officers assigned to work on the administration of the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Loan Scheme which was managed
by the Defendant to farmers in and around Techiman and Nkoranza in the
Brong-Ahafo Region.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The Defendant
caused a disciplinary action to be taken against the Plaintiff having issued a
query to the Plaintiff in March 1999 alleging that investigations conducted
into loans administration at the Techiman Branch during the period 1992-1994
had revealed that the Plaintiff was involved in some irregularities in the
grant of the IFAD Loans Scheme and the forgery of loan applications and
disbursement letters.&nbsp; The Plaintiff
denied any irregularities on his part in the grant of the said loans and
further denied forging applications and disbursement letters contending that at
the time of the alleged fraud he was on transfer at Kwapong. At the end of the
proceedings, the Disciplinary Committee recommended summary dismissal which was
endorsed by Management and the Plaintiff was accordingly dismissed.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On 15th
February 2000, the Plaintiff caused his Solicitor to issue a Writ of Summons
against the Defendant seeking the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
declaration that the purported summary dismissal of the Plaintiff formerly of
Bonsu Nkwanta, Kwapong and Techiman Branches of the Bank as communicated to him
by their letter dated 2nd December 1999 is unjust, illegal and
unmerited having regard to all the circumstances, inter alia, Plaintiff reply
to the query of the Defendant dated 22nd March 1999.<o:p></o:p>b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Damages
for wrongful dismissal.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The Defendant
contested the action and filed a Statement of Defence and counter claim on 9th
March 2000.&nbsp; In the counter claim the
Defendant made the following claims:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Recovery
of all moneys fraudulently dealt with by the Plaintiff herein leading to a loss
to the Bank.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Payment
of all expenses incurred in employing a forensic expert to prove the fraud
perpetuated by Plaintiff herein.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>After a protracted
trial, judgment was eventually delivered on 8th June 2010 by the
trial High Court, Sunyani.&nbsp; In the said
judgment the trial judge held that;<o:p></o:p>