THE REPUBLIC vs. HIGH COURT, GENERAL JURISDICTION, ACCRA, EXPARTE: MAGNA INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT LTD [GHANA TELECOMMUNICATIONS CO. LTD-INTERESTED PARTY] [2018]DLSC2941

THE REPUBLIC vs. HIGH COURT, GENERAL JURISDICTION, ACCRA, EXPARTE: MAGNA INTERNA... [2018]DLSC2941

Date	2018-11-07
Suit No.	CIVIL MOTION NO. J5/66A/2017
Citation No.	[2018]DLSC2941

DOTSE JSC (PRESIDING)

AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS) JSC

BENIN JSC

APPAU JSC

PWAMANG JSC

NANA AGYEI BAFFOUR-AWUAH WITH TERESA TABI AND NAA AMANKUMA

BARNOR FOR THE APPLICANT. ACE ANKOMAH WITH GOLDA DENYO FOR THE INTERESTED PARTY.

<p class="mb-5" id="contentDlCitation"  hidden>[2018]DLSC2941</p>
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#2E75B6">THE REPUBLIC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#2E75B6">vs.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#2E75B6">HIGH COURT, GENERAL JURISDICTION,
ACCRA, EXPARTE: MAGNA INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT LTD <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:#2E75B6">[GHANA TELECOMMUNICATIONS CO. LTD-INTERESTED
PARTY]</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: none; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">CIVILMOTIONNO.J5/66A/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; DATE:
7TH NOVEMBER, 2018<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: none; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">NANA AGYEI BAFFOUR-AWUAH WITH
TERESA TABI AND NAA AMANKUMA BARNOR FOR THE APPLICANT. ACE ANKOMAH WITH GOLDA
DENYO FOR THE INTERESTED PARTY.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: none; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">DOTSE JSC (PRESIDING), AKOTO-BAMFO
(MRS) JSC, BENIN JSC, APPAU JSC, PWAMANG JSC<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">BENIN, JSC:-&nbsp;</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The issue for our consideration is
whether by virtue of rule 27A of the Court of Appeal Rules, 1997, C. I. 19 as
amended by C. I. 21 the Court of Appeal has exclusive jurisdiction to hear
applications for stay of proceedings from the moment an interlocutory appeal is
filed.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The Applicant commenced an action
at the High Court upon filing a Writ of Summons and a Statement of Claim for
reliefs endorsed thereon. The interested party entered</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">conditional appearance and subsequently applied for the Writ and
Statement of Claim to be set aside for lack of Jurisdiction. The High Court
dismissed the interested party’s application to set aside the Writ. The
interested party lodged an appeal against the said ruling to the Court of
Appeal and filed an application for stay of proceedings in the High Court which
was granted. It is from this grant of stay of proceedings by the High Court
that the present application is grounded.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The Applicant’s case is that the
Court of Appeal is the right court to hear applications for Stay of Proceedings
pending the determination of interlocutory appeals. The High Court has no
jurisdiction to hear and grant same and as such acted in excess of its
jurisdiction. Consequently, the applicant seeks an order of certiorari directed
at the ruling of the High Court, General Jurisdiction Division, Accra, presided
over by Her Ladyship Justice Afua Novisi Ayine dated the 11th day of July 2017,
which said ruling stayed proceedings pending the determination of the
interlocutory appeal at the Court of Appeal. The ground for the relief is
excess of jurisdiction on the part of the High Court which error of law is
apparent on the face of the record.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif;">The interested party contended that
the High Court has jurisdiction under the rules of court as well as under the
court’s inherent jurisdiction to stay its own proceedings. Counsel dwelt
extensively on the court’s inherent jurisdiction which he said was available to
the court, the rules of court notwithstanding. He therefore urged the court to
depart from the ex parte Abodakpi decision.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: He</main>