WISE BOATENG vs. JAMES KWABENA ANTWI [2018]DLHC4005

Date	2018-07-16
Suit No.	SUIT NO. OCC 03/2018
Citation No.	[2018]DLHC4005

DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT

DENNIS OSEI ANTWI WITH FRANCIS OPUNI KESSE FOR PLAINTIFF

[2018]DLHC4005
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >WISE BOATENG<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>JAMES KWABENA ANTWI<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. OCC 03/2018&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 16TH JULY, 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL
<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;
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</div>On
the 22nd of August, 2017 the Plaintiff instituted an action against
the Defendant. By his writ of summons, the Plaintiff sought the following
reliefs:<o:p></o:p>a.
Recovery of an amount of Three Hundred and Ten Thousand Ghana Cedis
(GHC310,000.00) inclusive of interest being the total outstanding amount due
the Plaintiff from the defendant as at 31st July, 2017.<o:p></o:p>b.
Interest rate on the said sum beginning from 1st August, 2017 till date of
final payment.<o:p></o:p>c.
Cost<o:p></o:p>Appearance
was entered on behalf of the Defendant by his solicitor on the 10thof
October 2017 and he later filed a statement of defense.<o:p></o:p>The
Defendant denied liability to the plaintiff’s claim on the basis that he does
not owe him.<o:p></o:p>After
unsuccessful attempts at settlement, three issues were set down for trial namely:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether or not the Defendant is indebted to
the Plaintiff to the tune of GHC310,000 as at 31st July, 2017.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether or not the Defendant secured the
transaction with the landed property numbered Plot 22 Kwabena Antwi Street,
Twumduase, Kumasi.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether or not the Plaintiff is entitled to
his claim.<o:p></o:p>It
is observed that per the Court’s records, the Defendant was duly served with
hearing notices to attend court for the trial to commence but he failed to show
up. This is evidenced by the affidavits of service sworn on 09/05/2018,
31/05/2018 and 03/06/2018.<o:p></o:p>The
Defendant also failed to comply with the orders of the court to file his
witness statement. The court consequently invoked Order 32 rule 7A of the High
Court (Civil Procedure) (Amendment) Rules, 2014, CI 87 and struck out the
defence of the defendant.<o:p></o:p>With
the continuous absence of the Defendant, the court had no option than to
proceed with the case under order 36 rule 1(2)(a) of the High Court (Civil
Procedure) Rules 2004, CI 47. It states:<o:p></o:p>Rule 1(2) where an action is called
for trial and a party fails to attend, the trial judge may;<o:p></o:p>