SAMUEL ABAOGYE AND SAMUEL OWUSU BOATENG (THE DEVELOPER) vs. FRANK OTCHERE BAIDOO [2017]DLCA4751

Date	2017-03-16
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO: H1/53/2016
Citation No.	[2017]DLCA4751

AYEBI J.A. (PRESIDING)

TORKORNOO (MRS) J. A.

DOMAKYAAREH (MRS) J. A.

COUNSEL FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS: KWAME ANTWI

COUNSEL FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT: DORCAS OTTI

[2017]DLCA4751
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >SAMUEL
ABAOGYE AND SAMUEL OWUSU BOATENG (THE DEVELOPER)<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/ APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>FRANK
OTCHERE BAIDOO<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/ RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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CIVIL APPEAL NO: H1/53/2016&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;DATE: 16TH MARCH, 2017<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;"><o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>COUNSEL
FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS: KWAME ANTWI AFRIYIE&nbsp;
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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COUNSEL
FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT: DORCAS OTTI <o:p></o:p>

AYEBI J.A. (PRESIDING), TORKORNOO (MRS) J. A., DOMAKYAAREH
(MRS) J. A.<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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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-US">TORKORNOO
(MRS), J.A.<o:p></o:p>The Plaintiff/Respondent commenced this
action by lawyer named as Obeng-Manu Jnr Esq. The Writ was not signed in
manuscript but stamped with the words OBENG-MANU LAW FIRM, SARPOMAA CHAMBERS,
P. O. BOX 6541, PLOT 2A, WEST NHYIAESO, AHODWO. These words were prefaced with
the abbreviation ‘PP’. The Defendant/Appellant entered appearance by a lawyer,
and also filed a defence and counterclaim. The Plaintiff later changed his
counsel who filed an application for interlocutory injunction against the Defendant.
Although the Defendant opposed the application, the court granted same. The Plaintiff
filed his Reply and Defence to counterclaim and the Application for Directions,
thus bringing pleadings to a close.<o:p></o:p>At the hearing of the Application for
Directions, the Judge drew the attention of the counsels to the fact that the Writ
was not signed by the lawyer named as having issued it. The counsel for Defendant
then argued that an unsigned Writ was a nullity and therefore ought to be set
aside by the court as invalid. The Plaintiff counsel’s argument was that the
lack of a signature on the Writ ought to be considered as an irregularity which
can be rectified at the direction of the court. <o:p></o:p>After arguments, the court ruled that
the Writ was signed, and even if the Writ was not signed, that failure had not
resulted in any injury, or prejudice to the Defendants. He discussed the
decision of the Supreme Court in Republic
v High Court Koforidua, Ex parte Eastern Regional Development Corporation
2003-2004 SCGLR 21 in which the Supreme Court had held that in the
situation where a judgment had not been delivered within six weeks as required
by Order 62 rule 2A of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules LN 140 A, inserted
by LI 1107, that non-compliance with the rules of court did not constitute a
fundamental defect that rendered the judgment invalid. <o:p></o:p>It was his reasoning that defence
counsel had not shown how non-compliance with the rules of court had caused
injustice or prejudiced him. In the circumstances, it was his ruling that the
case should continue and be heard on its merits. <o:p></o:p>In appealing against the ruling, the Defendant
set out the following grounds: <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;">1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The</main>