STAR OF THE SEA CONSTRUCTION vs. SAMUEL MENSAH ABROAMPAH [2014]DLHC3895

Date	2014-04-10
Suit No.	SUIT NO.RPC/2/13
Citation No.	[2014]DLHC3895

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

MR. WILLIAM KUSI FOR THE PLAINTIFF

MR. ASIEDU BASOAH FOR THE DEFENDANT

[2014]DLHC3895
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >STAR OF THE SEA
CONSTRUCTION<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>SAMUEL MENSAH ABROAMPAH<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/2/13&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 10TH APRIL, 2014<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>MR. WILLIAM KUSI 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">In this suit, the Plaintiff Company seeks to recover
an amount of GH¢ 41,000.00 together with interest at the prevailing Bank rate
from the Defendant.<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 facts of the case as captured in the pleadings are as follows: The
Plaintiff allegedly entered into an agreement with the Defendant for the award
of a six (6) classroom block contract. The contract sum was three hundred and
Seventy Thousand (GH¢370,000.00).&nbsp; The
Defendant who was to bring the Contract from the Regional Minister requested
that the Plaintiff paid an amount of forty-five thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢
45,000.00) to enable him to secure the contract. The said money was allegedly
paid in two tranches to the Defendant by cheque but the contract was never
awarded. Following a complaint lodged with the Police, the Defendant refunded
an amount of GH¢ 4,000.00, leaving a balance of GH¢ 41,000.00.<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">In his further amended statement of defence filed on
27/02/2014, the Defendant denied the Plaintiff’s claim. His story was that
prior to the issuance of the cheques in his name, there was a meeting with the
PRO of the Regional Minister at that time (Aubrey Mends),&nbsp; the Plaintiff Company’s representative by
name Patrick Acheampong, his brother as well as the Defendant. At the said
meeting, the PRO explained that the contract was coming from the Regional
Minister and the Plaintiff’s representatives agreed. A series of meetings took
place between the same parties subsequently and the Plaintiff knew throughout
the transaction that the contract was coming from the Regional Minister. It is
the Defendant’s case that the agreement or contract between the parties herein
is illegal and therefore unenforceable.<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"><o:p>&nbsp;</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">In its reply, the Plaintiff denied any knowledge of
the Regional Minister’s involvement and the assertion that the cheques issued
in the name of the Defendant were for the benefit of the Regional Minister.<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">Two issues were set down for trial by the pre-trial judge, namely:<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 Defendant promised to secure for
the Plaintiff a contract from the Regional Minister for the construction of a
six (6) unit classroom block?<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 sum of GH¢45,000.00 paid by the Plaintiff
to the Defendant was meant for Aubrey Mends.<o:p></o:p>