E. K. BONSU LTD vs. PRUDENTIAL BANK LTD [2016]DLHC3583

Date	2016-07-18
Suit No.	SUIT NO.CM/0266/2016
Citation No.	[2016]DLHC3583

HIS LORDSHIP ERIC KYEI BAFFOUR JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

[2016]DLHC3583
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="OLE_LINK1">E. K. BONSU LTD<o:p></o:p></a>vs.<o:p></o:p>PRUDENTIAL BANK LTD<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH COURT (COMMERCIAL
DIVISION), 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">

SUIT
NO.CM/0266/2016&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 18TH JULY, 2016 <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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

HIS LORDSHIP ERIC KYEI BAFFOUR JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT<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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>Defendant/Applicant seek by this application to stay
proceedings of the court pending what he terms as mandatory compliance by the
Plaintiff of a statutory provision. The mandatory provision he refers to is
section 43 of the Credit Reporting Act, 2007, Act 726. To the applicant as the
plaintiff in his claim allege having been defamed based on what plaintiff
believe to be inaccurate information provided to XDS Credit Reference Bureau by
defendant, the plaintiff ought to have first resorted to the mechanism for
resolution of such disputes with the Bank of Ghana before resorting to legal
action in the court.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Plaintiff/respondent ardently opposes the application
on a number of grounds. One that the application is belated in the sense that
the applicant had waived his right to have the matter settled before the
arbitral forum created by the law. This he contends that defendant has filed a
statement of defence and that amounts to the taking of fresh step. Again to the
plaintiff the dispute is not about the operations of the Credit Bureau, XDS
Data but mainly has to do with an action the defendant which has made him
suffer disrepute in the eyes of the public.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It is provided under section under section 43 of Act
726 as follows:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.25pt; margin-left: 0.65pt; text-indent: 11.75pt; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">“(1) A complaint shall be submitted in writing
to the Bank before redress is sought in a Court for the settlement of grievance
under this Act.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.25pt; margin-left: 0.4pt; text-indent: 36.2pt; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">(2) The Bank shall investigate the matter and determine it in accordance
with this section.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.25pt; margin-left: 48.65pt; text-indent: -12pt; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">(3) Where the Bank receives a complaint or notice of a dispute, the Bank
shall&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;cause the
matter to be investigated, and<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.05pt; margin-left: 66.4pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -17.75pt; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">(b)&nbsp;settle the dispute or
complaint to the satisfaction of the parties concerned, unless the Bank
considers the matter to be frivolous or vexatious.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.05pt; margin-left: 0.65pt; text-indent: 33.1pt; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">(4) A person dissatisfied with a decision of the Bank may appeal to the
High Court.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.05pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">The Bank here means the Bank of Ghana and the
law requires that before any person <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.25pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 115%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">who has suffers harm arising from the supply
of inaccurate or incomplete information about the person is entitled to
commence an action in Court against the data provider or credit bureau,&nbsp;by
demonstrating that the data provider negligently provided the information which
has caused harm to the person, and to seek an injunction or otherwise from the
Court to restrain the publication of the inaccurate information. However, this
cannot be done unless the aggrieved person has first complied with section 43
of the Law. Clearly then, the action of Plaintiff in this court seeking damages
for defamation is well within the grounds of complaints contemplated by section
41 as whatever damages plaintiff may be entitled to arises naturally from the &nbsp;alleged provision of inaccurate information
about him by the data provider, that is the defendant and the contention of
counsel for plaintiff that this action is not within the perimeters of actions
that ought to be first brought before the Bank of Ghana cannot be correct.<o:p></o:p>