FRUIT BASKET LTD vs. I-SHOP LTD [2017]DLHC6282

Date	2017-05-30
Suit No.	Suit No. IPR/05/14
Citation No.	[2017]DLHC6282

JENNIFER DODOO (MRS)

J. OPOKU-BOATENG FOR PLAINTIFF

K. AGBELI-MENSAH FOR BLISS AMARTEI (WITH HIM PETER SAMLAFO) FOR DEFENDANT

[2017]DLHC6282
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >FRUIT BASKET LTD<o:p></o:p>{PLAINTIFF}<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>I-SHOP LTD<o:p></o:p>{DEFENDANT}<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT (COMMERCIAL 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 No. IPR/05/14&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 30TH MAY 2017<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;J. OPOKU-BOATENG FOR PLAINTIFF<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">

&nbsp;K. AGBELI-MENSAH FOR BLISS AMARTEI (WITH HIM
PETER SAMLAFO) FOR DEFENDANT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>JENNIFER DODOO (MRS) JUSTICE OF THE
HIGH COURT<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%;
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><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The Plaintiff claimed against the
Defendant the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo2">A Declaration that the Defendant
 is seeking to gain an unfair economic advantage by passing off the name of
 I-shop which has come to be associated with the Plaintiff.<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo2">A perpetual injunction
 restraining the Defendant by herself, her agents, servants and assigns
 from the use of the name I-shop Ghana in marketing apple products in the
 country.<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo2">General Damages for breach of
 Plaintiff’s economic rights<o:p></o:p></li>
 <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo2">Costs <o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>It was the Plaintiff’s case as set
forth in its Amended Statement of Claim filed on 21st July 2016 that
it was a limited liability company incorporated in 2008.&nbsp; According to the Plaintiff, since its
incorporation it had been operating under the name and style I-Shop as an
authorized dealer in genuine apple products and also providing after sales
services to the clients who had purchased goods from it. &nbsp;&nbsp;The Plaintiff contended that it had set up a
website known as <a href="http://www.i-shop.com.gh/">www.i-shop.com.gh</a> where
information on the latest apple products and service could be obtained.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The Plaintiff stated that it had
acquired a huge reputation on the Ghanaian market as a dealer in genuine apple
products and its products had been associated with its brand name I-Shop.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Its plaint was that the Defendant
had also advertised itself as a dealer in apple products and was operating as
I-Shop Ghana Ltd and from a location in New-Town, Accra.&nbsp; In furtherance of this, the Plaintiff said
the Defendant had also set up a website ishop.ghana.com where apple products
similar to that of Plaintiff’s were also advertised for sale.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Being convinced that the Defendant
had adopted the name I-Shop Ghana Ltd to give the impression that it was the
same entity as the Plaintiff and to gain some economic advantage by passing
itself off as the Plaintiff, the latter instituted the instant suit.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In its Amended Statement of Defence
filed on 8th September 2016, the Defendant contended that it was a
limited liability company incorporated on 18th November 2013 and
issued with a certificate to commence business on 20th November
2013.&nbsp; It denied being in competition
with the Plaintiff and described the objects of its business as the following:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>(a)&nbsp;&nbsp; Importation, sale and repair,
decoding and unlocking of all makes of used mobile phones and used computers;<o:p></o:p>(b)&nbsp;&nbsp; Importation and selling of generic
and proprietary parts or accessories of all makes of cell phones and computers
such as chargers, key pads, cases, computer bags, mother board etc.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The Defendant maintained that it was
operating in its registered business name and had done no wrong to the
Plaintiff.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The issues forwarded to this court
for trial were:<o:p></o:p>