HAMTA AND SONS LIMITED vs. AFUA KONADU AND ANOTHER [2018]DLHC3980

Date	2018-11-16
Suit No.	SUIT NO.P/OCC 02/2017
Citation No.	[2018]DLHC3980

DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

SARAH NORKOR ANKU ESQ. FOR KEN ANKU FOR PLAINTIFF/APPLICANT

FREDERICK OWUSU ASARE FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT

[2018]DLHC3980
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >HAMTA AND SONS LIMITED<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>AFUA KONADU AND ANOTHER<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.P/OCC 02/2017&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: 16TH NOVEMBER, 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL
<o:p></o:p>SARAH NORKOR ANKU ESQ. FOR
KEN ANKU FOR PLAINTIFF/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><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-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;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 an application by the Plaintiff/Respondent/Applicant, <a name="_Hlk530078463">hereinafter
referred to as “the </a>Applicant", praying for an order of variation to
the order of Interlocutory Injunction dated 26th October, 2017.<o:p></o:p>The
background to the application is that on 17th July, 2017 the
Applicant herein issued a writ of summons against the Defendants herein seeking
the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>a)
A declaration that the plaintiff continues to package, market, distribute and
sell its ‘MINAZEN’ spices without any interference from the 1st Defendant, his
servants, agents, workmen, distributors, sellers, assigns or otherwise
howsoever described.<o:p></o:p>b)
An injunction to restrain the 1stdefendant, whether acting by
himself, his servants, agents, workmen or otherwise howsoever described from
interfering with plaintiff’s legitimate business, whether by the use of the
word mark ‘‘MINAZEN’’ or the word colorable similar thereto or otherwise
howsoever described or enabling, assisting, procuring or authorizing any person
other than the plaintiff to do any of the acts aforesaid.<o:p></o:p>c)
An order directed at the 2nd Defendant not to take any further step to register
the 1st Defendant’s mark and/or dismiss the 1st Defendant’s application to
register the Plaintiff’s word mark ‘‘MINAZEN’’.<o:p></o:p>The
1st Defendant/Applicant/Respondent, hereinafter referred to as “the Respondent”
filed a statement of defense rejecting the Applicant’s claims and in her
statement of defense she counterclaimed against the Applicant as follows:<o:p></o:p>a)
Declaration that the plaintiff’s food spices in packages is almost the same as
the 1st Defendant’s Remie food spices amount to passing off.<o:p></o:p>b)
Declaration that the 1st Defendant is the owner of the trade name and mark
‘MINAZEN’ with its accompanying devices.<o:p></o:p>c)
An order for perpetual injunction restraining the plaintiff from further
causing to be manufactured, imported, distributed and /or sold unto the market
its passing off food spices or doing anything that offends the intellectual
property of the 1st Defendant.<o:p></o:p>d)
General damages<o:p></o:p>On
19th September, 2017 the Respondent herein filed a motion on notice
for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Applicant herein,
whether by itself, agents, servants, workmen, assigns and all its privies from
packaging, marketing, distributing and selling its MINAZEN spices pending the
final determination of this case.<o:p></o:p>After
hearing the parties, the court gave the following order:<o:p></o:p>“Both the applicant and respondent
are, however, restrained forthwith from using the MINAZEN trade mark to package
their products and subsequently marketing, distributing and selling the same.
This order is also applicable to their servants, workmen, agents, assigns and
privies.”<o:p></o:p>And
of course, this order was meant to remain valid pending the determination of
the substantive suit.<o:p></o:p>In
the same ruling, the court, however, allowed the Applicant herein whether by
itself, its servants, workmen, agents, assigns and privies <a name="_Hlk530084300">to market, distribute and sell the MINAZEN packaged spices
which was already in stock subject to the necessary approval by the Food and
Drugs Authority.</a><o:p></o:p>