ADOLF ADARKWAH vs. FIRST ALLIED SAVINGS AND LOANS LTD [2018]DLHC3966

Date	2018-10-12
Suit No.	SUIT NO. BFS 04/2019
Citation No.	[2018]DLHC3966

DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

[2018]DLHC3966
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ADOLF ADARKWAH<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>FIRST ALLIED SAVINGS AND LOANS LTD<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[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. BFS 04/2019&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 OCTOBER, 2018<o:p></o:p>

</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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line-height:115%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
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;
margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;
line-height:115%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>This
is a Motion on Notice praying this Honorable Court for an order setting aside
the default judgment entered against the Applicant herein and for leave to
enter late appearance.<o:p></o:p>The
Plaintiff/Respondent herein issued a Writ of Summons against the
Defendant/Applicant on the 15th of August, 2018. The Plaintiff’s
claim against the defendant are for:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
An order for the recovery of the sum of SIX
MILLION AND THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND GHANA CEDIS (GH¢6,300,000.00)
being the principal sum invested in fixed deposit with the Defendant and two
(2) months interest arrears standing unpaid by the Defendant on the money
invested in the fixed deposits as of the time of the institution of this action.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Interest at the prevailing bank rate on the
total sum of SIX MILLION AND THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND GHANA CEDIS (GH¢6,300,000.00)
from July 2018 being the due demand date the Plaintiff lawyers finally demanded
for the repayment of the said sum total to the Plaintiff up to the date of
final payment.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Cost including solicitors legal fee and
other expenses as agreed by the Defendant in its “letter of indemnity”.<o:p></o:p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
And any other reliefs as to this Honorable
Court may deem just.<o:p></o:p>The
defendant/applicant was served with the writ of summons and statement of claim
on the very day it was issued i.e. 15th August, 2018. Subsequently,
this Honorable Court entered default judgment in favor of the
Plaintiff/Respondent on the 5th of September,2018 after the
Defendant/Applicant had failed to enter an appearance.<o:p></o:p>Naturally
aggrieved by the said default judgment, the Applicant has filed the instant
application and the grounds of the application are contained in the Affidavit
in Support filed on the 29thof September, 2018. <o:p></o:p>In
moving the motion, Counsel for the Applicant prayed the Court to exercise its
discretion and set aside the default judgment. Counsel cited Order 10 rule 8 of
the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rule 2004 (CI 47) and argued that per the
provision the court is handed a discretionary power to set aside the default
judgment. He also referred to article 296 of the 1992 Constitution which deals
with the exercise of discretionary power and invited the court to exercise its
discretion in favour of the applicant in the interest of fairness. Counsel also
intimated that the defendant/applicant failed to enter an appearance as they
wanted to settle the matter out of court. He prayed the court to set aside the
judgment and grant the applicant leave to enter an appearance as they are
desirous of contesting the matter.<o:p></o:p>