ERIC KWAME AMOAH vs. BEN OWUSU DOMENA [2014]DLSC2915

Date	2014-07-30
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO.J4/13/2014
Citation No.	[2014]DLSC2915

ADINYIRA (MRS.) JSC (PRESIDING)

YEBOAH JSC

BONNIE JSC

BAMFO (MRS.) JSC

AYIKOI OTOO ESQ. FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT/ APPELLANT.

FELIX QUARTEY ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT/RESPONDENT.

[2014]DLSC2915
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ERIC KWAME AMOAH<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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; vs.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>BEN OWUSU DOMENA<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[SUPREME COURT, 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.J4/13/2014&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 30TH
JULY, 2014<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>AYIKOI OTOO ESQ.&nbsp; FOR THE DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT/ APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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FELIX
QUARTEY ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT/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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ADINYIRA (MRS.) JSC (PRESIDING), YEBOAH
JSC, BONNIE JSC, BAMFO (MRS.) JSC <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;
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JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>BENIN,JSC:- <o:p></o:p>On October 19, 2009, the
defendant/respondent/appellant, hereinafter called the defendant, caused a
publication to be made in the Daily Graphic. A passport sized photograph of the
plaintiff/appellant/respondent, hereinafter called the plaintiff, was attached
thereto and the publication concerned the plaintiff. It read:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;‘DISCLAIMER<o:p></o:p>BENOD MACHINE SHOP<o:p></o:p>MR ERIC KWAME AMOAH,
former Manager of the above named shop no longer works with the shop.<o:p></o:p>Any transaction on behalf
of the above named shop with institutions, companies, shops, and individuals by
Mr Eric Kwame Amoah is null and void. <o:p></o:p>Any company which goes
into contract with him do(sic) so at their own risk.<o:p></o:p>By: Managing Director<o:p></o:p>BENOD Machine Shop<o:p></o:p>Ben Owusu-Domena’<o:p></o:p>The above publication was
repeated in the November 12, 2009 edition of the Daily Graphic. It is this
publication that gave rise to the action before the High Court that has
resulted in the appeal before this court. The plaintiff complains that the said
publication has damaged his reputation and has also diminished his chances of
finding employment on the job market. Hence the reliefs endorsed on the writ of
summons, namely:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Declaration
that the publication caused by the defendant in the Daily Graphic concerning
the plaintiff is malicious and reckless.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Punitive
and exemplary damages against the defendant for the malicious and reckless
publication.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order directed at the defendant to retract the offending publication in the
same medium over the same number of times of the publication together with an
apology.<o:p></o:p>The indorsement raised no
claim known in tort. Though the category of torts is not closed, yet malice or
recklessness is not a tortuous liability per se, it must be pleaded in relation
to a specific tort. Thus the plaintiff is required to give the particulars of
the libelous publication complained of in the indorsement to the writ as
required by Order 57 rule 2 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004,
C.I. 47. And if he desires to do so in the statement of claim he must seek to
amend the indorsement on the writ. The plaintiff did not </main>