MAGNA TERRIS LTD vs. BERTHOLD PAA JOE GADAGBUI [2016]DLCA5311

Date	2016-12-15
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H1/155/2016
Citation No.	[2016]DLCA5311

GYAESAYOR JA (PRESIDING)

K.N. ADUAMA OSEI JA

M.M. AGYEMANG (MRS) JA

THERESA TABI & ELIKEM ASIAMAH FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

NANA B. ADU POKU FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2016]DLCA5311
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MAGNA TERRIS LTD <o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>BERTHOLD PAA JOE GADAGBUI&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></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;
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SUIT
NO. H1/155/2016&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;&nbsp;DATE: 15TH
DECEMBER, 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>THERESA TABI &amp; ELIKEM
ASIAMAH FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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NANA
B. ADU POKU FOR PLAINTIFF/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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GYAESAYOR
JA (PRESIDING), K.N.&nbsp; ADUAMA OSEI JA, M.M.
AGYEMANG (MRS) JA<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:
.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;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">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>AGYEMANG JA:<o:p></o:p>In this appeal from the decision of the High Court
dated 2nd December 2015, the defendant/appellant (hereafter referred
to as the appellant) seeks an order reversing the ruling of the court below
which held that the plaintiff/respondent (hereafter referred to as the
respondent) had the right to levy charges on the appellant. <o:p></o:p>The matters that have given rise to the present
appeal are as follows:<o:p></o:p>The respondent in its suit at the court below
described itself as a Ghanaian company engaged in the development and
management of real estate. The appellant while denying that the respondent was
a manager of real estate, acknowledged that the respondent was a developer of
estates and that in or about August 2008 he entered into a contract with the
respondent for the construction and sale to him of two properties at
Kingsville, Oshiokpo-Dawhenya.<o:p></o:p>In a twist that is difficult to apprehend, the
appellant to whom the duly constructed buildings: (46Ca and 46Cb at Kingsville
Oshiokpo-Dawhenya) were sold, and who paid for them fully, was in March 2009,
granted a sublease of the properties. The sublease was duly executed by the
parties.<o:p></o:p>In the sublease, the appellant who was described as
a sub-lessor of the property for a period of ninety years, was expressed to
hold the property at a reserved annual rent of Fifty Ghana Cedis (GHC50).<o:p></o:p>One of the clauses contained in the said sublease,
more particularly clause 3:10 which is a covenant by the sub-lessee
(appellant)with the sub-lessor (respondent), reads as follows: <o:p></o:p>“To pay in
common with other SUB-LESSEES or other occupiers if so required, a
proportionate part of the charges incurred in making up and maintaining the
flat/area, roads, water, electricity, verges, footpath and public open spaces
on the Housing Community known as Kingsville where the demised land is situate
and forms part thereof”.<o:p></o:p>The respondent apparently acting under the said
Clause 3:10 assessed the charges for the consumption of water, electricity and
for infrastructure and sent the bill for each of the appellant’s houses (he had
two of them) per an invoice to the appellant. More particularly, the charges
per property (as invoiced), are as follows:<o:p></o:p></main>