ERNESTINA POKU vs. GRACE SERWAA AGYEMANG [2015]DLCA7011

Date	2015-02-12
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/48/2014
Citation No.	[2015]DLCA7011

ARYEETEY J.A. [PRESIDING]

PIESARE J.A.

DOTSE J.A

MR. NYANOR FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

MR. KWAMENA BAIDEN FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

[2015]DLCA7011
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ERNESTINA POKU<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<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;;
color:#00B0F0">vs.<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;;
color:#00B0F0">GRACE SERWAA AGYEMANG<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</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">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">CIVIL
APPEAL NO. H1/48/2014&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;DATE: 12TH
FEBRUARY, 2015<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL: <o:p></o:p>MR.
NYANOR FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT.<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. KWAMENA BAIDEN FOR THE
DEFENDANT/APPELLANT.<o:p></o:p>

ARYEETEY J.A. [PRESIDING], PIESARE
J.A. , DOTSE J.A.<o:p></o:p>

</div>DOTSE,
J.A.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;This is an appeal against the decision of the
High Court, Accra dated 26th day of July, 2001 refusing to set aside a default
judgment earlier granted by the same court on 6th February, 2001. <o:p></o:p>The
brief facts of this appeal are that the Plaintiff/Respondent hereinafter
referred to as the Plaintiff, issued a writ of summons against the
Defendant/Appellant hereinafter referred to as the Defendant, claiming the
following reliefs. <o:p></o:p>The
Plaintiffs claim is for:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;"[1] &nbsp;The refund of the sum of Thirteen thousand
United States Dollars [US$13,000.00] or its equivalent in cedis being the
outstanding balance of money the plaintiff gave to the Defendant for payment of
goods ordered from Bangkok Thailand.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[2] Interest on the thirteen thousand United
states Dollars [US$13,000] or its equivalent in cedis at the prevailing bank
rate from 31st December 1998 till date of final payment. <o:p></o:p>[3]
Cost." <o:p></o:p>The
above writ was filed on 24-8-2000 and was accompanied with a statement of
claim. <o:p></o:p>There
is an endorsement on the writ of summons, reference page 1, that the writ of
summons was served on the Defendant on 30-11-2000.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Defendant subsequently entered appearance
to the writ on 5-12-2000 through her solicitor, J.K. Ackah Esq, now deceased.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Plaintiff whose writ of summons was issued
by Haldane Lutterodt, later changed Solicitors to K. SARFO AGYEKUM, ESQ., of
PAINTSIL, PAINTSIL &amp; CO. From the appeal record, the Defendant failed to
file her Defence on time as a result of which a default judgment was entered
against her on 6th February 2001. <o:p></o:p>Whilst
steps were being taken by the Plaintiff to execute the default judgment that
had been entered against her, the Defendant whose Solicitor had by then died,
engaged the services of a new solicitor.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Defendant's new Solicitor accordingly
filed a motion on notice to set aside the default judgment which was vehemently
opposed by the Plaintiff.<o:p></o:p>On
the 26th day of July, 2001 the High Court Accra, after the reception of
arguments in the case held as follows:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;"I think the reasons why the late Ackah
did not file a defence was that he
had none. It is my view that the judgment regularly obtained in this
court should stand since no useful
purpose would be served by setting same aside. Cost of ¢400,000.00 to
the Plaintiff'. Emphasis mine.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The above is the decision that has been
appealed against. Before I proceed any further it is necessary to correct the
date stated on page 16 of the appeal record as the date stated therein reads
26-5-2001. However, the date stated in the Notice of Appeal as the date of the
judgment appealed against is 26-7-2001. <o:p></o:p>I
have observed that the motion paper seeking to set aside the default judgment
as a result of which the said decision was giv</main>