SENATOR HOTEL GHANA LTD vs. NANA ERNEST AIDOO [2018]DLCA5186

Date	2018-10-31
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H1/44/2018
Citation No.	[2018]DLCA5186

MARIAMA OWUSU J.A (PRESIDING)

HENRY A. KWOFIE J.A

AMMA GAISIE J.A

KOFI QUARSHIE SAM FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

MITCHELL OSEI DONKOR FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2018]DLCA5186
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="_Hlk528313186">SENATOR
HOTEL GHANA LTD<o:p></o:p></a>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>NANA ERNEST
AIDOO<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<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">

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>KOFI QUARSHIE SAM FOR THE
DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<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">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">MITCHELL OSEI DONKOR FOR
THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT <o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>MARIAMA
OWUSU J.A (PRESIDING), HENRY A. KWOFIE J.A<a name="_Hlk528924336">, AMMA GAISIE
</a>J.A<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;border-right:none;
padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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>HENRY KWOFIE J.A:<o:p></o:p>This is an appeal against the judgment
of the High Court (Commercial Division) Kumasi dated the 21st of
February 2017. <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>By a writ of summons filed on the 11th
of February 2015, the plaintiff claimed against the defendant the following
reliefs:<o:p></o:p>a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order for the recovery of an amount of Sixty Four Thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢64000)
being rent arrears from May to December 2014.<o:p></o:p>b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interest
on the said amount at the prevailing bank rate from December 2014 till date of
final payment.<o:p></o:p>c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order for the recovery of an amount of Fifty Eight Thousand Ghana cedis
(GH¢58000) being the cost of the plaintiff’s properties which were destroyed by
the defendant.<o:p></o:p>d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An
order for the recovery of an amount of Twenty Five Thousand, one hundred and
Eighteen Ghana cedis, Thirty two pesewas (GH¢25,118.32) being the cost of
electricity bills consumed by the defendant from January 2013 to December 2014.<o:p></o:p>e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; General
damages for loss of customers due to the destruction of hotel records by the
defendant.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The plaintiff is a Limited Liability
Company engaged in hotel business whilst the defendant is a businessman
resident in Kumasi. The plaintiff’s case is that on 1st January
2013, its management entered into a written agreement with the defendant
whereby the hotel premises together with the staff were rented to the defendant
at a monthly rent of GH¢8000 for a period of Twenty Four months ending 31st
December 2014. All rent were to be paid to the plaintiff’s account at United
Bank of Africa (UBA) Per the agreement, it is alleged that the defendant was to
pay all taxes and utility bills, but he defaulted in paying eight months rent
amounting to GH¢64,000 and also left behind unpaid electricity bills to the
tune of GH25,118.2. The plaintiff also contended that after an inventory had
been taken, it turned out that the defendant destroyed property belonging to
the hotel with an estimated cost of GH¢58000.00.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The defendant admitted the existence
of an agreement between the parties but averred that he took over the running
of the hotel premises in March 2013 and there was no agreement that payment of
the rent was to be made to the UBA as alleged by the plaintiff. Rather, he
contended that the plaintiff o</main>