REGINALD NIIBI AYI-BONTE vs. SHOPRITE COMPANY LIMITED [2018]DLHC5376

Date	2018-05-02
Suit No.	SUIT NO.BD 2/2014
Citation No.	[2018]DLHC5376

JUSTICE KWEKU T. ACKAAH- BOAFO

MR. JUSTICE ABDULAI WITH MR. DANIEL OSEI FOR THE PLAINTIFF

MR. JOSEPH BERNARD ASHALLEY FOR THE DEFENDANT

[2018]DLHC5376
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >REGINALD
NIIBI AYI-BONTE<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>SHOPRITE
COMPANY LIMITED<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT (GENERAL JURISDICTION DIVISION), ACCRA]<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 NO.BD 2/2014&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 2ND
MAY, 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR. JUSTICE ABDULAI WITH
MR. DANIEL OSEI FOR THE PLAINTIFF <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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MR.
JOSEPH BERNARD ASHALLEY FOR THE DEFENDANT <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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JUSTICE
KWEKU T. ACKAAH- BOAFO<o:p></o:p>

</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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JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Introduction:<o:p></o:p>[1]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To
paraphrase from the Quebec case of UMAN V.&nbsp;ZELLERS INC., 2001 CANLII 21934
(QC CQ) which dealt with similar facts: “The present case puts in conflict the
right and the need of commercial establishments to protect themselves against
shoplifting which is a scourge and those of individuals to the protection of
their reputation, integrity and dignity, rights protected in law.” <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[2]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This is an action for false imprisonment. The gist of such
an action is the imprisonment. So far as Mr. Niibi Ayi-Bonte a royal of the Ga
State, Mechanical Engineer, Politician and a Lawyer is concerned, what took
place is this: On June 6, 2014 he visited the Osu shop of the Defendant Company
in the company of a staff at his office known and called “Ayawaso Chambers” to
purchase some items. He says after he purchased the items he needed, he
approached the payment counter where the items were scanned, a bill was given
and he paid immediately and the items were “packed in the customized rubber bag
of the Defendant Company and handed over” to him. <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[3]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He says whilst
exiting from the shop, the anti-theft alarm at the shop went off and all
attention was fixed on him and the security men working for the Defendant
rushed on him. According to the Plaintiff in the curious view of other shoppers
he was held aside and searched like a common thief or a shoplifter. He says his
body was searched and the carrier bag containing the items bo</main>