GIANT METRO CO. LTD. vs. AMALGAMATED VENTURES & ESTATE LTD [2014]DLCA2900

Date	2014-05-08
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/141/2012
Citation No.	[2014]DLCA2900

MARIAMA OWUSU (PRESIDING)

GYAESAYOR J.A.

DORDZIE

J.A.

PETER ZWENES FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

MR. KUDJORDZIE FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2014]DLCA2900
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >GIANT METRO CO. LTD.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;vs.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>AMALGAMATED VENTURES &amp;
ESTATE LTD.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[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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CIVIL
APPEAL NO. H1/141/2012&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;DATE: 8TH
MAY, 2014<o:p></o:p>

</div>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; <o:p></o:p>PETER ZWENES 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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MR.
KUDJORDZIE FOR PLAINTIFF/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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MARIAMA
OWUSU (PRESIDING) ,GYAESAYOR J.A. ,DORDZIE, J.A.<o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>MARIAMA OWUSU, J.A:<o:p></o:p>On 25-7-2007, the High
Court, Accra, dismissed the defendant’s counterclaim for specific performance
of the contract entered into by the parties as having been frustrated. Judgment
was entered in favour of the plaintiff for a declaration that the lease
agreement between the parties in 1996 has been frustrated.<o:p></o:p>Dissatisfied with the
decision of the trial court, the defendant appealed to the Court of Appeal on
the following grounds:<o:p></o:p>[i] &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The learned trial judge’s holding that the contract between
the Plaintiff and Defendant was frustrated by re-entry of the Lands Commission
onto the disputed land was wrongful and not supportable in law. In resolving
this issue in favour of the Plaintiff the court occasioned a miscarriage of
justice to the Defendant’s case.<o:p></o:p>[ii] &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The learned trial judge erred in dismissing the Defendant’s
counterclaim and upholding the Plaintiff’s alternative relief [b] claim
particularly when the Plaintiff had by his own pleadings, evidence and address
made it abundantly clear to the court that it had effectively abandoned and was
no longer interested in the disputed land but was claiming adequate
compensation for the legal battle it had fought on behalf of the Defendant.<o:p></o:p>[iii] &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
judgment is against the weight of evidence on record.<o:p></o:p>[iv] &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Further grounds to be filed upon receipt of copies of the
judgment and the record of proceedings.<o:p></o:p>The relief sought from the
Court of Appeal;<o:p></o:p>That
the portions of the judgment of the trial court which dismissed the Defendant’s
Counterclaim, upheld the Plaintiff’s alternative relief [b] claim and awarded
cost against the Defendant be set aside and further orders made entering
judgment in favour of the Defendant for its counterclaim plus costs.<o:p></o:p>Before dealing with the
arguments advance in support of this appeal, I will give a brief background of
this case.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>The plaintiff by its amended
writ of summons claims against the defendant the following reliefs;<o:p></o:p>[a] &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Payment of ¢500, 000,000.00 being adequate compensation for
time, money and effort used in fighting Defendant’s legal battle.<o:p></o:p>OR ALTENATIVELY;<o:p></o:p>[b] &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that the lease agreement between the parties in
1996 has been frustrated.<o:p></o:p>[c]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Any further orders.<o:p></o:p>[d] &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interest on the amount claimed in relief [a] from 19-4 2002
till the date of judgment.<o:p></o:p>In the 17 paragraph
statement of claim which accompanied the writ of summons, the plaintiff averred
among other things that, sometime in 1996, it granted a sub-lease of 1.27 acres
of land situate at Tema Motorway Industrial Are</main>