ROBERT MENSAH vs. GARIBA MOHAMMED AND ANOTHER [2018]DLHC3999

Date	2018-11-23
Suit No.	SUIT NO. OCC 65/2016
Citation No.	[2018]DLHC3999

DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

EVA OKYERE FOR THE PLAINTIFF

JAMES MARSHALL BELIEB FOR THE DEFENDANTS

[2018]DLHC3999
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ROBERT MENSAH<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>GARIBA MOHAMMED 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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

SUIT&nbsp;NO. OCC 65/2016&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: 23RD NOVEMBER, 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL
<o:p></o:p>EVA OKYERE FOR THE 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">

</div>CORAM: <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><o:p>&nbsp;</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" 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>One
of the issues set down for trial in this suit is:<o:p></o:p><a name="_Hlk530726575">“Whether or not the Plaintiff is a legal entity with
the capacity to sue and be sued.”<o:p></o:p></a>After
the case management conference an application was made for the determination of
the afore stated issue which is for all intents and purposes a preliminary
point of law.<o:p></o:p>On
14th May, 2018 the court ordered the parties to file their written
submissions for the determination of the preliminary point of law. Both counsel
have complied with the order by filing their respective submissions.<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiff is claiming that he sued in a representative capacity but the
Defendants are challenging this assertion.<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiff’s claim to capacity to institute the instant action is captured in
the amended statement of claim as follows:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The plaintiff is a licensed small scale
miner engaged in the mining of gold and leader of the group known as, <a name="_Hlk530683900">Thy Kingdom Mining Group</a>.<o:p></o:p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Plaintiff avers that sometime in 2011,
he together with nine other persons, formed a group by name, Thy Kingdom Mining
Group, to obtain a Small Scale Mining Licence from the Minerals Commission, as
is the settled practice of the Commission, to operate a mining concession at
Prambonso, Fosu in the Obuasi Municipal District of the Ashanti Region of
Ghana.<o:p></o:p>In
his statement of defence, the 2nd defendant rebutted the above claim
as follows:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Save as hereinafter expressly or impliedly
admitted, the 2nd defendant denies each and every allegation of fact
as if same were expressly set out and denied seriatim.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Paragraph 1 is denied and the Plaintiff shall
be put to strict proof.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;