MERCHANT BANK (GH) LTD (PLAINTIFFS) vs. COOTEK LIMITED, ERIC OPATA OFORI AND MARGARET A. OFORI AND COOTEK LIMITED AND ERIC OPATA OFORI AND MARGARET A. OFORI vs. MERCHANT BANK (GH) LTD AND MR CHRIST NARTEY AND BUSINESS HELP LINE [2015]DLHC9238

MERCHANT BANK (GH) LTD (PLAINTIFFS) vs. COOTEK LIMITED, ERIC OPATA OFORI AND MAR... [2015]DLHC9238

Date	2015-03-05
Suit No.	SUIT NO. OS 865/96, SUIT NO. MISC 2182/1998
Citation No.	[2015]DLHC9238

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE P. BRIGHT MENSAH

FELIX YEBOAH FOR THE COOTEK ERIC O. OFORI AND MARGARET O. OFORI

SLYVIA CUDJOE FOR MERCHANT BANK AND CHRIS NARTEY

LARRY NSARKO OTOO FOR BUSINESS HELP LINE LTD

[2015]DLHC9238
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MERCHANT BANK (GH) LTD<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>COOTEK LIMITED, ERIC OPATA OFORI AND MARGARET A. OFORI<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p>AND<o:p></o:p>COOTEK LIMITED AND ERIC OPATA OFORI AND MARGARET A. OFORI<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>MERCHANT BANK (GH) LTD AND MR CHRIST NARTEY&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; (DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p>AND<o:p></o:p>BUSINESS HELP LINE<o:p></o:p>(CO-DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT (FINANCIAL DIVISION 1), ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

SUIT NO. OS 865/96, SUIT NO. MISC
2182/1998&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: 5TH MARCH 2015<o:p></o:p>

LARRY
NSARKO OTOO FOR BUSINESS HELP LINE LTD<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>This case has
had a very chequered history.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The case was
initiated by an Originating Summons filed by the Merchant Bank (Gh) Ltd on 13/12/1996
in Suit No. OS 865/96 herein referred to.&nbsp;
However, on 18/12/1998 Cootek Co. Ltd together with its 2 Directors also
filed a writ of summons against the Merchant Bank and its Managing Director,
Chris Nartey. Subsequently, Business Help Line Company was joined to the suit
as Co-defendant. &nbsp;Upon a subsequent
application made to the court, the 2 cases were consolidated.&nbsp; The result is what we now have as a
Consolidated suit. <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>I need to put
it on record that given its history and the time it was filed, the case had
passed through the hands of various Judges.&nbsp;
However, it was my learned brother Anthony Abada J who commenced
hearing.&nbsp; But as fate had it, the baton
was passed unto me, under the hand of the Chief Justice, to continue with the
hearing of the case.&nbsp; When trial had
closed and both Counsel had agreed to file written addresses and indeed Mr
Francis Yeboah, Counsel for the Plaintiffs in the 2nd consolidated
case had done so, the then learned Counsel for the Merchant Bank, Mr Stanley
Amarteifio passed on into eternal glory.&nbsp;
He was unable to file his written address before his demise.&nbsp; Whilst the court was grappling with what to
do, it was brought to my attention that the bank had engaged a new lawyer to continue
from where he left off.&nbsp; The new lawyer
did appear in court as duty demanded and pleaded with the court to grant her a
long adjournment to study the proceedings held in the case to be able to file
her address.&nbsp; This accounts for the delay
in not delivering the judgment soon after the close of the case until now.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In determining
a consolidated suit, the court is guided by the following principles as handed
down by the Court of Appeal.&nbsp; That is:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
a
separate judgment has to be delivered in each suit;<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>b)
&nbsp;the individual identity of each of the
consolidated suits has to be<o:p></o:p>maintained
throughout the proceedings up to execution;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
and<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>