FORESTRY COMMISSION vs. DIVINE AGES TIMBER CO. LTD. [2017]DLCA5060

Date	2017-04-06
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO: H1/141/2016
Citation No.	[2017]DLCA5060

KUSI-APPIAH J.A.-(PRESIDING)

F.G. KORBIEH J.A.

ACKAH-YENSU (MS.) J.A.

MR. DENNIS OSEI HWERE FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

MS. AMMA SAKYI FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2017]DLCA5060
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >FORESTRY COMMISSION<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>DIVINE AGES TIMBER CO.
LTD.<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<span 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;;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi"><o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, 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">

CIVIL APPEAL NO: H1/141/2016&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 6TH
APRIL, 2017<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>MR. DENNIS OSEI HWERE FOR
THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<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">

MS.
AMMA SAKYI FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT<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">

KUSI-APPIAH J.A.-(PRESIDING), F.G. KORBIEH
J.A., ACKAH-YENSU (MS.) 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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JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>KUSI-APPIAH, J.A.:&nbsp;
This appeal arises from the judgment of the High Court,
(Fast Track Division), Accra, dated 21st day of February, 2014,
entered in favour of the plaintiff/respondent (hereinafter referred to as the
respondent) against the defendant/ appellant (hereinafter referred to as the
appellant).<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The simple
issue in this appeal is a factual one of determining whether the plaintiff (now
respondent) harvested the total volume of 2,173m3 teak trees which
covered the GH₵500,000
it paid from the area allocated to it by the defendant (now appellant)
herein.&nbsp; In my view, that issue was
elaborately pleaded and adequately canvassed at the trial to obviate any
blurring of it.&nbsp; I turn first to the
facts of the case.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
case of the plaintiff (now the respondent) as gathered from its pleadings and
especially from the evidence at the trial, is that, the respondent is a Limited
Liability Company which carries on the business of felling and production of teak
and timber trees.&nbsp; The respondent averred
that sometime in October, 2007, it successfully bid for one of the defendant’s
timber plantation lot and subsequently entered into a contract (Plantation
Timber Utilization Contract) with the appellant on 26th October,
2007.&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>According
to the respondent, per their contract, the appellant was to give it an area
containing 5,513 teak trees or stems with an estimated volume of 2,604m3
for GH₵598,920:00.&nbsp; Respondent contended that it paid a deposit
of GH₵