[2016]DLCA8553 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#00B0F0">WEBB BUILDERS LIMITED</span></b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua""><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">(</span></i><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif">PLAINTIFF / RESPONDENT</span></i><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">)<span class="NoSpacingChar"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">vs.</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#00B0F0"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:#00B0F0">TOLON – KUMBUNGU DISTRICT ASSEMBLY AND ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif">(</span></i></b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">DEFENDANTS / APPELLANTS<b>)</b></span></i><b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#00B0F0"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">[COURT OF APPEAL, TAMALE]</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm; mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">SUIT NO: H1/09/2015 </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> DATE: 29<sup>TH</sup> FEBRUARY, 2016<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif">COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">ISSA MOHAMMED ESQ. FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT/ APPELLANT<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">MRS. ANITA ASHONG KATAI FOR THE PLAINTIFF / RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">CORAM:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">ADJEI JA – PRESIDING, LOVELACE-JOHNSON JA, ACKAH-YENSU JA<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify"><b><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">ADJEI, J.A:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">The 1<sup>st</sup> Defendant/Appellant dissatisfied with the ruling delivered by the High Court Tamale which refused to set aside the judgment on admission obtained against it by the plaintiff on 11<sup>th</sup> November, 2011 appealed to this Court to reverse the decision of the High Court. For the purposes of this appeal, the parties would maintain their designations used at the trial Court. The Plaintiff/Respondent would be referred to as the Plaintiff and the 1<sup>st</sup> Defendant/Appellant as 1<sup>st</sup> Defendant.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">The Plaintiff instituted the action which culmunated in this appeal at the High Court Tamale claiming against the Defendants, <i>inter alia</i> the sum of GH</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">₵</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">40,334.00 and the interest thereon being an amount certified for payment by payment certificate No.1 dated 28<sup>th</sup> June, 2008 for works executed on reshaping of Cheshegu-Nyankpala and another 22.85 Km Feeder Road which were executed by the Plaintiff. Apart from the interest payable at the current bank rate from 28<sup>th</sup> June, 2008 to the date of Judgment claimed by Plaintiff, it further claimed for damages for breach of contract. The Plaintiff in its Statement of Claim averred that all demands made by it on the 1<sup>st</sup> Defendant to pay for the work done by the Plaintiff were refused. The Plaintiff then on 29<sup>th</sup> August, 2011 through its lawyer served a demand notice on the 1<sup>st</sup> Defendant. The Plaintiff therefore instituted the action against the Defendants after the 1<sup>st</sup> Defendant had evinced its intention clear not pay its indebtedness to the Plaintiff. The Plaintiff in paragraph 3 of its statement of claim averred that it sued the Attorney-General as a 2<sup>nd</sup> Defendant by virtue of the fact that she is the Chief Legal Advisor of the Republic of Ghana and by article 88 of the Constitution of Ghana, 1992, all Civil proceedings against the state are to be instituted against the Attorney-General as Defendant and its legal effect would be discussed in the course of this appeal.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">The Statement of defence filed on behalf of the Defendants by the Attorney-General’s representation in Tamale admitted the Plaintiff’s claim but added that the payment of the debt was dependent on receipt of its share of the Common Fund from the Common Fund Administrator.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">As a result of the admissions made by the 1<sup>st</sup> Defendant in its statement of defence, the Plaintiff filed an application for judgment on admission under Order 23 rule 6 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules C.I. 47. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">On 11<sup>th</sup> November, 2011, the High Court entered final judgment for the Plaintiff against the defendant to recover the amount endorsed on the Plaintiff’s Writ of Summons and the interest thereon from 25<sup>th</sup> June, 2008 to the date of final payment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">On 9<sup>th</sup> December, 2011, the 1<sup>st</sup> Defendant filed an application to set aside the final judgment entered on behalf of the Plaintiff as a result of the admission made by the 1<sup>st</sup> Defendant in its statement of defence. The motion also sought to set aside the Entry of Judgment filed by the Plaintiff pursuant to the judgmen