YVONNE OKYERE-WHALLEY vs. KLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES [2017]DLHC4045

Date	2017-07-20
Suit No.	SUIT NO. GJ 240/2015
Citation No.	[2017]DLHC4045

KWEKU T. ACKAAH-BOAFO JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

MRS. AKOSUA GYAMFI-DUAMROH WITH

MAAME AKUA ADU-BOAHENE FOR THE PLAINTIFF

EMMANUEL AMOFA WITH AFIA KORANKYEWAA NTIM FOR THE DEFENDANT

[2017]DLHC4045
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >YVONNE OKYERE-WHALLEY<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>KLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH COURT (GENERAL JURISDICTION DIVISION),
ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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SUIT&nbsp;NO. GJ 240/2015&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 20TH
JULY, 2017<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MRS. AKOSUA GYAMFI-DUAMROH
WITH MAAME AKUA ADU-BOAHENE FOR THE PLAINTIFF <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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KWEKU T. ACKAAH-BOAFO JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT<o:p></o:p>

</div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:1.45pt;margin-right:0in;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:1.45pt;margin-right:0in;
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</div>i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Introduction:<o:p></o:p>[1]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
time has come to talk of many things – of a traveler’s journey from Amsterdam
to Accra with the Defendant Airline – and of her allegation of racial
discrimination, the opening of a bottle of wine against the wishes of the
Plaintiff, of an alleged policy of “reduced service” for Ghanaian and Nigerian
passengers on the Defendant’s flight, the consequence thereof and why the
Plaintiff says she is entitled to damages. Those questions arise in this
litigation, in which the Plaintiff claims damages against the Defendant airline
for discrimination and for injury to her feeling. <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[2]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On
February 15, 2015 when the Plaintiff, Yvonne Okyere-Whalley and the husband
took KLM Flight KL 589 from Amsterdam to Accra little did they or the
Defendant, KLM know that the flight was setting in motion an allegation of
racial discrimination, a call for an apology, a visit to the Plaintiff’s home
by an officer of the Defendant with a hamper and ultimately a law suit and a
claim for damages. It is the case of the Plaintiff that she was discriminated
against by a staff of the Defendant who also instigated a white passenger to
racially abuse her. Mrs. Okyere-Whalley has sued the Defendant claiming damages
for a breach of her fundamental rights, racial discrimination and hurt
feelings. The Defendant vehemently denies the Plaintiff’s claim.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Action<o:p></o:p>[3]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; By
a writ of summons issued on December 17, 2015 the Plaintiff claims against the
Defendant the following reliefs: <o:p></o:p>a. Declaration that the Defendant’s alleged new policy which discriminates
against passengers travelling to either Ghana or Nigeria is unlawful as it
infringed the Plaintiff’s fundamental human rights guaranteed under the
Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.<o:p></o:p>b. General damages for discriminating against the Plaintiff
and for injury to feeling.<o:p></o:p>