OPANIN YAW DOTOR AND AMA ACHIAA vs. DERMA RURAL BANK AND POLICE OFFICER SAMPSON MENSAH [2017]DLCA5334

OPANIN YAW DOTOR AND AMA ACHIAA vs. DERMA RURAL BANK AND POLICE OFFICER SAMPSON... [2017]DLCA5334

Date	2017-01-17
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO: H1/71/2016
Citation No.	[2017]DLCA5334

E. K. AYEBI

J.A. (PRESIDING)

G. TORKORNOO (MRS) J.A.

A. M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS.) J.A.

ALFRED TUAH YEBOAH COUNSEL FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS

MICHAEL FARADAY OPPONG COUNSEL FOR 1ST DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT

[2017]DLCA5334
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >OPANIN YAW DOTOR AND AMA ACHIAA<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>DERMA RURAL BANK AND POLICE OFFICER SAMPSON MENSAH<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/RESPONDENTS)<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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

CIVIL
APPEAL NO: H1/71/2016&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;DATE: 17TH JANUARY, 2017<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>ALFRED TUAH YEBOAH,
COUNSEL FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS. <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">

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>E.
K. AYEBI, J.A. (PRESIDING), G. TORKORNOO (MRS) J.A., A. M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS.)
J.A.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
tab-stops:.5in 93.75pt;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>DOMAKYAAREH
(MRS),J. A.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
In this appeal, a battle for the recovery
of the value of a burnt house and other valuables has been raging since 5th
October 2004 when the plaintiff/appellants filed their initial Writ of Summons
and Statement of Claim against the defendants/respondents herein.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT’S CASE<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The 1st plaintiff/appellant is
the owner of a building on plot No. 45 Block “A”, Derma, also identified as
House No B.F. 103 Derma. The 1st appellant rented out (4) four rooms
in the said house to the 1st Defendant/Respondent for the occupation
of its employees.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
2nd Plaintiff/Appellant is a daughter of the 1st
plaintiff/appellant and she also occupied one room in the house from where she
sold agro-chemicals. Other tenants rented the remaining rooms in the house and
they all co-existed together.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>For
security reasons, and in particular to scare armed robbers from attacking the 1st
respondent’s premises, which was close to the said house, the 1st
respondent applied to the Ghana Police Service through the appropriate channels
and the 2nd respondent was detailed to provide security at the 1st
respondent’s premises. The 1st respondent then permitted the 2nd
respondent to occupy one of the rooms the 1st respondent rented from
the 1st appellant.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>On
the 26th December, 2003 a fire broke out in the said House No B.F.
103 and the house got burnt with the tenants losing valuable properties. The
appellants sued the respondents alleging that it was the 2nd
respondent who caused the fire and that the 1st respondent was
vicariously liable for the tortious act of the 2nd respondent since
it was the 1st respondent which permitted the 2nd
respondent to stay in the house. In an amended Writ and Statement of Claim, the
appellants claimed the following reliefs:-<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;