GEORGE KOFI NTIM vs. NOBLE DREAM FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD. [2016]DLHC3782

Date	2016-11-29
Suit No.	SUIT NO.BFS/402/14
Citation No.	[2016]DLHC3782

ANGELINA MENSAH-HOMIAH (MRS.) JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

SHADRACK OBENG YEBOAH FOR THE PLAINTIFF

KWASI ADU MANTE FOR DEFENDANT

[2016]DLHC3782
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >GEORGE KOFI NTIM<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>NOBLE DREAM FINANCIAL
SERVICES LTD.<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT (COMMERCIAL DIVISION), KUMASI]<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.BFS/402/14&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; &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: 29TH
NOVEMBER, 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>SHADRACK OBENG YEBOAH FOR
THE PLAINTIFF <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">

KWASI
ADU MANTE FOR DEFENDANT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

ANGELINA
MENSAH-HOMIAH (MRS.) 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;
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</div>This
judgment is in respect of the recovery of monies said to have been invested in
a fixed or time deposit product of the Defendant micro-finance company
described as "Noble Trust".<o:p></o:p>The
case of the Plaintiff is that he was induced by the numerous advertisements and
marketing strategies of the Defendant company to deposit GHS 5,000.00 and GH¢
8,000.00&nbsp; on 19/12/2003 and 08/03 /2014
respectively&nbsp; at an agreed interest
rate&nbsp; of 10.5% for three months. However,
after the respective maturity dates and subsequent persistent demands, the
defendant has failed to pay him the principal amounts invested totaling GH¢ 14,
365.00 plus the accrued interest.<o:p></o:p>In
the statement of defence filed on 7/11/14, the Defendant company alleged that
it has never had any dealings with the Plaintiff, he is not one of its
customers and the company is not in any way indebted to him. The Defendant further
alleged that the Plaintiff has taken advantage of its operational difficulties
and misunderstanding with some of its customers to overreach the company, and
unjustly enrich himself. <o:p></o:p>After
a failed attempt at settlement, two main issues were set down for this trial.
These are:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether or not the Plaintiff was Defendant's
customer?<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether or not the Plaintiff is entitled to
his claim?<o:p></o:p>Both
parties failed to comply with the orders for the filing of witness statements
and were given extension of time to do so. The Plaintiff did comply with the
second order and filed his witness statement on 29/05/2015, but the Defendant failed
to do so even though the company was given a further extension of time. The
lawyers appeared before the court for a case management conference on
17/07/2015 where counsel for the Defendant informed the court that they do not
intend filing any witness statement.&nbsp; The
case was then adjourned to 27/07/2015 at 11am for hearing but the trial could
not commence on the said date. Counsel for the defendant was also absent
without reason. <o:p></o:p>Eventually,
9/11/2016 was set as the hearing date with an order that a hearing notice be
served on counsel for the Defendant. By an affidavit of service deposed by
Kwabena Gyan, a senior bailiff attached to this court, a hearing notice was
duly served on counsel for the Defendant on 24/10/2016.&nbsp; Neither the Defendant nor its lawyer came to
court on 09/11/2016 and the court had no other alternative than to proceed to
hear the case of the Plaintiff as provided for under&nbsp; Order 36 of the High Court (Civil Procedure)
Rules, 2004 C.I. 47 as amended by C.I. 87.<o:p></o:p>The
relevant provision is Order 36 rule 1 (2)&nbsp;
(a) which reads:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">&nbsp;"(2) Where an action is called for trial
and a party fails to &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&</main>