FRAGA OIL GHANA LIMITED vs. EVANS BEDIAKO [2014]DLCA4743

Date	2014-11-13
Suit No.	SUIT NO: H1/121/2014
Citation No.	[2014]DLCA4743

MARIAMA OWUSU J.A. (PRESIDING)

ACQUAYE J.A.

DZAMEFE J.A.

MR. A. AKRASI FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

MR. ADAARE FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2014]DLCA4743
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >FRAGA OIL GHANA LIMITED<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>EVANS
BEDIAKO<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<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:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

SUIT
NO: H1/121/2014&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 13TH NOVEMBER,
2014<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
A. AKRASI FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<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">

MR.
ADAARE FOR THE 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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

MARIAMA
OWUSU J.A. (PRESIDING), ACQUAYE 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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

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

</div>MARIAMA OWUSU, J.A:<o:p></o:p>On 7th August
2012, the High Court [Commercial Division] Accra, gave judgment for the
plaintiff. The Court held among other things as follows;<o:p></o:p>“In my opinion, the Plaintiff adduced
sufficient evidence to support its assertions, but Defendant did not adduce
sufficient evidence in rebuttal. Neither did he adduce sufficient and credible
evidence to prove his assertions. From the totality of the evidence before the
Court therefore, I find that on the balance of probabilities the Plaintiff’s
case is more probable than the Defendant’s. I will thus give judgment in favour
of Plaintiff.<o:p></o:p>Per the terms of the Agreement any
failure on the part of Defendant to comply with the terms and conditions
thereof shall be tantamount to a breach of the Agreement. As stated above,
Paragraph 7 of the Agreement states the terms and conditions with regard to payment
for products delivered to the Defendant. I find that Defendant has breached
this condition. Paragraph 8 of the Agreement provides that if the Defendant
breaches any of the material conditions, Plaintiff shall be entitled to enforce
the Agreement by taking over, running and/or managing Defendant’s retail outlet [station]
and any equipment therein until the outstanding
debt including interest are fully recovered from the Defendant’s net margin
after which the station shall be handed back to the customer.<o:p></o:p>In the circumstances, I will order
that Defendant pays Plaintiff, the sum of GH¢64,000.00 together with interest
at the prevailing bank rate from 25th August 2009 until date of
payment. Defendant is to make this payment within a period of three [3] months
from the date of this judgment, failing which Plaintiff shall take over the
running and /or management of Defendant’s station until the debt is recovered,
after which Plaintiff shall hand over the station to Defendant.<o:p></o:p>Costs assessed at GH¢5,000.00 against
Defendant.”<o:p></o:p>Dissatisfied with the
decision of the High Court, the defendant appealed to the Court of Appeal on
the following grounds;<o:p></o:p>[a]
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That the judgment is against the
weight of evidence.<o:p></o:p>[b]
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That the judgment failed to consider
the computation of time with regard to the 7 days credit period in the
Dealership Agreement [Exhibit A]<o:p></o:p>[c]
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Additional grounds of appeal will
be filed upon receipt of the proceedings and the judgment.<o:p></o:p>The relief sought from
this Court is a reversal of the judgment of the High Court; Accra [Commercial
Division] dated 7th August 2012.<o:p></o:p>On 12-12-12, the defendant
filed further grounds of Appeal. They are;<o:p></o:p>1.