ZENITH BANK vs. AYUM FOREST PRODUCTS LTD AND 7 OTHERS [2016]DLHC4059

Date	2016-10-28
Suit No.	SUIT NO. BFS 68/2016
Citation No.	[2016]DLHC4059

DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

AKUA POKUA KWARTENG FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

HAGAR ADDO FOR NAANA KWASI BOITEY FOR DEFENDANTS/APPLICANTS

[2016]DLHC4059
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ZENITH BANK<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>AYUM FOREST PRODUCTS LTD
AND 7 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[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;margin-left:0in;margin-right:.2in">

SUIT&nbsp;NO. BFS 68/2016&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;DATE: 28TH OCTOBER, 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL
<o:p></o:p>AKUA POKUA KWARTENG FOR
PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</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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</div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:1.45pt;margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
line-height:115%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
none"><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;margin-left:0in;margin-right:.2in">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:1.45pt;margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
line-height:115%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>This is a motion on notice praying this
Honourable Court for an order setting aside the judgment in default of
appearance entered against the Applicants herein and for leave to enter late
appearance. <o:p></o:p>The Plaintiff/ Respondent herein
commenced this action on the 25th February, 2016 by way of Writ of Summons accompanied
by Statement of Claim against the Applicants/Defendants (1st, 3rd
and 4th Defendants) herein and five (5) other Defendants. <o:p></o:p>The Plaintiff claimed against the Defendants
as follows:<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Recovery
of the sum of GHC 482, 164.90 as at 22nd January 2016.<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Interest
at the agreed rate on the said sum from 23rd January, 2016 up to the
date of full and final payment.<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Cost
including Lawyer’s fee.<o:p></o:p>The processes were duly served on the
applicants herein, who by the court’s record failed to enter appearance as
required by Order 9 r 1 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004 (CI 47).<o:p></o:p>Consequently, the Plaintiff moved for final
judgment against the 1st, 3rd and 4th Defendants/
Applicants herein and on the 22nd April 2016 the court gave Plaintiff
judgment in “default of appearance” for all the reliefs sought.<o:p></o:p>It must be noted that the other Defendants
were not served with the process and so the default judgment was not entered
against them. Subsequently, entry of judgment was filed on the 22nd
of June, 2016 and the same was successfully served on the Applicants.<o:p></o:p>It is this judgment in default of
appearance which has necessitated the application currently before me. Same was
filed on the 22nd of August, 2016. In support of the application is
an affidavit sworn on behalf of the Applicants.<o:p></o:p>