SAMUEL GYAMFI AND OTHERS vs. BANK OF GHANA AND ANOTHER [2017]DLHC4162

Date	2017-10-18
Suit No.	SUIT NO. OCC 113/2014
Citation No.	[2017]DLHC4162

DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE HIGH COURT JUDGE

SAMUEL CUDJOE FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT/APPLICANT

STEPHEN ALEWABA FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2017]DLHC4162
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >SAMUEL GYAMFI AND OTHERS<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>BANK OF GHANA AND ANOTHER <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT (COMMERCIAL DIVISION), KUMASI]<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. OCC 113/2014&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 18TH OCTOBER, 2017<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:
<o:p></o:p>SAMUEL CUDJOE FOR THE 1ST
DEFENDANT/APPLICANT<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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</div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:1.45pt;margin-right:0in;
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none"><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-top:1.45pt;margin-right:0in;
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mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>Before
me is an application for an order of the court to strike out the suit against
the 1stDefendant/Applicant on the ground that the statement of claim
discloses no reasonable cause of action against the 1stDefendant.
The application is premised on Order 11 rule 18 (1) (a) and (b) of the High
Court Civil Procedure Rules, 2004 (CI 47).<o:p></o:p>The background to the application <o:p></o:p>On
29th day of June, 2012, the Plaintiffs/Respondents herein filed a
writ of summons against the 1stDefendant/Applicant and three others
for the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>“(a)
A declaration that the deliberate and intentional acts of the 1st defendant,
2nd defendant &amp; 3rd defendant permitting and indulging the 4th defendant to
operate commercially as a bank concern in the Greater Accra region, Ashanti
region and the Brong-Ahafo region respectively for over 2 years without the requisite
Bank of Ghana banking license was not only negligent and unconscionable but
unconstitutional, fraudulent and legally impermissible and as a result have
caused substantial miscarriage of justice and civil injuries to the plaintiffs.<o:p></o:p>(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that by the testimony of
the Representative of the Governor of Bank of Ghana and Head of Banking
Supervision (i.e. 2nd &amp; 3rd defendants)&nbsp;
herein on oath in civil Suit No. RPC 102/2012 admitting and confirming that
the Bank of Ghana was aware that the 4th defendant had no license from the Bank
of Ghana whilst it (4th defendant) was operating and also failing to warn the
general public from dealing with the 4th defendant who was operating illegally
and fraudulently in foreign transactions/exchange amount to a breach of article
183 (2)(d) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the Bank of Ghana’s Act, 2002
(Act 612) and the Banking Act, 2004 (Act 673).<o:p></o:p>(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that whatever the 1st,2nd
&amp; 3rd defendants did whether deliberately, negligently or by omission or
commission by allowing, permitting or indulging the 4th defendant to illegally
and fraudulently operate by receiving cash deposits from the general public
including the plaintiff without any license to do so amounted to a serious
breach of duty in a high voltage of bad faith and irrationality.<o:p></o:p>(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The recovery of the judgment debt of GHC7,269,718.38
from the 1st,2nd and3rd defendants which was obtained in favor of
Plaintiff against the 4th defendant in Suit Nos. RPC 102/2012 and HRC/24/12A
being the quantum of cash deposits with the 4th defendant inclusive of cost and
interest on account of the 1st,2nd &amp;3rd defendants’ admissions and
contribution to the 4th defendant’s commission of fraud against the plaintiffs
herein.<o:p></o:p>(e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that the 1st, 2nd
and 3rd defendants owe a&nbsp; duty of care to
the plaintiffs to protect them (plaintiffs) from illegal and fraudulent
activities of banks and financial and non-financial institutions in the country
but the 1st, 2nd &amp;3rd defendants with a blameworthy mindset deliberately
and unconscionably breached this duty when the 1st,2nd &amp;3rd defendants failed/refused
to stop the 4th defendant’s illegalities and fraudulent activities or behaviour
by passively allowing the 4th defendant to engage in On Line Forex Trading/foreign
exchange transactions with the plaintiffs’ deposits or cash investments.<o:p></o:p>(f)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that the 1st, 2nd &amp;
3rd defendants by their conduct and behavior instrumentally aided, abetted and
or contributed to the fraud perpetrated on the plaintiffs by the 4th defendants
to operate in its illegal and fraudulent activities/ commerciality against the
plaintiffs herein who invested with 4th defendant as bank concern.<o:p></o:p>The
Applicant after being granted leave by</main>