MR. BIGG’S vs. STEPHEN OWUSU BOATENG [2014]DLHC3879

Date	2014-02-20
Suit No.	SUIT NO.RPC/64/13
Citation No.	[2014]DLHC3879

ANGELINA MENSAH-HOMIAH (MRS.) JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

ROBERTSON KPATSA FOR THE PLAINTIFF

FELIX ABOAGYE FOR THE DEFENDANT

[2014]DLHC3879
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MR. BIGG’S<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>STEPHEN OWUSU BOATENG<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH COURT (COMMERCIAL
DIVISION), 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">

SUIT NO.RPC/64/13&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 20TH
FEBRUARY, 2014<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>ROBERTSON KPATSA FOR THE
PLAINTIFF <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">

ANGELINA
MENSAH-HOMIAH (MRS.)<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;"> JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT<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">

</div><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">The Plaintiff herein proceeded with its case against
the Defendant under Order 36 rule (1) (2) (a) of the High Court (Civil
Procedure) Rules, 2004 C.I. 47. It provides as follows:<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Rule (1) (2)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
where an action is called for trial and a party fails to attend, the trial
judge may:<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">(a)&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Where the Plaintiff attends and the defendant fails to
attend, dismiss the counterclaim, if any, and allow the plaintiff to prove the
claim.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">It is important to give a brief history of the instant case. It was
listed for hearing on 6/11/2013. The Defendant and his counsel were absent
without reason. Two adjournments were given and a hearing notice was duly
served for the last time on counsel for the Defendant per the affidavit of
service filed on 16/01/2014. When the case was called for hearing on 29/01/2014,
again, the Defendant and his counsel were not in court. In accordance with the
above cited provision of C.I. 47, the Defendant’s counterclaim was dismissed
and the Plaintiff was allowed to prove its claims.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">By the endorsement on the Plaintiff’s writ of summons filed on
14/01/2013, the Company sought to recover an amount of $ 92, 750.00 being
unused rent advance paid by the Plaintiff to the Defendant together with
interest and cost.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">The issues for trial are set out below:<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Whether or not
the Parties agreed that upon Plaintiff vacating Defendant’s premises, Defendant
would refund unused rent of &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;$ 92,
270.00 to the Plaintiff?<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Arial Unicode MS&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Whether or not
the Defendant informed Plaintiff of his appointment of a quantity surveyor and
made Plaintiff party to the inspection of the premises by the quantity
surveyor?<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">3.