CHRISTIANA AMIHERE vs. COCA COLA BOTTLING CO. LTD [2017]DLHC16552

Date	2017-05-12
Suit No.	SUIT NO. BC/172/2012
Citation No.	[2017]DLHC16552

HIS LORDSHIP K. A. GYIMAH

K. O. LARBI FOR PLAINTIFF

EBO LAING FOR DEFENDANT

[2017]DLHC16552
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >CHRISTIANA AMIHERE <o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>COCA COLA BOTTLING CO. LTD <o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

SUIT NO. BC/172/2012&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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:
12TH&nbsp;MAY 2017<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>K.
O. LARBI FOR PLAINTIFF<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

</div>&nbsp;<div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;In the celebrated English case of Donoghue
v. Stephenson (1932] A.C. 562, H.L. where the English House of Lords was called upon to
decide whether a manufacturer of a defective product was liable to the consumer
who purchased and consumed portions of the product, Lord Atkin laid down the following
legal principle at page 599 of the report:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;“A manufacturer of products, which he sells in such a form as to show
that he intends them to reach the ultimate consumer in the form in which they
left him with no reasonable possibility of intermediate examination, and with
the knowledge that the absence of reasonable care in the preparation or putting
up of the products, will result in an injury to the consumer's life or
property, owes a duty to the consumer to take that reasonable care.”<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;This was the beginning of holding
manufacturers liable for defective products that have caused injury to
consumers as a result of use or consumption of the product.&nbsp; The basis of this principle is that a
manufacturer of products owes a duty to the consumers of his products to make
sure that the product if used or consumed by the consumer will not cause damage
or injury to the consumer and a breach of this duty will make the manufacturer
liable in damages to the consumer for the resultant injury the consumer
suffered. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It is this principle that informs the
basis of this action.&nbsp; The plaintiff by
an amended Statement of Claim filed on 28th October 2016 has claimed
the following reliefs against the defendant:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;1.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
declaration by the Honourable Court that the defendant was negligent in the
manufacture of the said product which the plaintiff bought and drunk on 24th
June 2011.<o:p></o:p>2.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Damages<o:p></o:p>