ALHAJI SALEM & ANOTHER vs. G.P.R.T.U. PER THE CHAIRMAN (AUGUSTINE MENSAH) [2019]DLCA6925

Date	2019-06-26
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/36/18
Citation No.	[2019]DLCA6925

IRENE C. LARBI (MRS) J.A. (PRESIDING)

L. L. MENSAH J.A.

ANGELINA M. DOMAKYAAREH (MRS) J.A.

JOSEPH KAPONDE FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS.

DANIEL ARTHUR FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT.

[2019]DLCA6925
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ALHAJI SALEM &amp; ANOTHER<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>G.P.R.T.U. PER THE CHAIRMAN (AUGUSTINE MENSAH)<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, CAPE COAST]<o:p></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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padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">CIVIL APPEAL NO.
H1/36/18&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:
26TH JUNE 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>JOSEPH KAPONDE FOR DEFENDANTS/APPELLANTS.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
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padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">DANIEL ARTHUR FOR
PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p>IRENE
C. LARBI (MRS) J.A. (PRESIDING), L. L. MENSAH J.A., ANGELINA M. DOMAKYAAREH
(MRS) J.A.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>LAWRENCE L. MENSAH, J.A.:<o:p></o:p>This
is an appeal which comes from the Defendants/Appellants hereinafter referred to
as the Defendants against the judgment of the High Court Cape Coast dated the
16th day of June 2017 in favour of the Plaintiff/Respondent who will
be referred hereafter as the Plaintiffs.<o:p></o:p>Facts:<o:p></o:p>The
appeal is about a running down action the facts of which are as follows:-&nbsp; The Plaintiff private road transport company
owned Mercedes Benz Sprinter bus with Registration Number GS 3934 – 12 which
was a commercial vehicle plying between Mankesim in the Central Region and
Obuasi.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Plaintiff’s case:<o:p></o:p>On
the 20th day of November, 2013 at about 7.00 pm while the
Plaintiff’s vehicle was on its journey from Obuasi to Mankessim, the 2nd
Defendant then, in charge of a DAF articulated truck with Registration Number
GR 132 N loaded with 600 bags of dried cocoa beans, was travelling from New
Edubiase with two passengers on board to Tema.&nbsp;
On reaching a spot at Assin Asamankese on the Kumasi-Yamoransah road,
the 2nd Defendant driver overtook the Plaintiff’s Mercedes Benz
vehicle which was in front of the DAF Truck.&nbsp;
In course of overtaking the Plaintiff’s vehicle, the 2nd
Defendant saw another articulator truck coming from the opposite
direction.&nbsp; Sensing danger, the 2nd
Defendant swerved to avoid a head-on collision with the on-coming articulated
truck, and in the process, hit the Plaintiff’s vehicle.&nbsp; The impact caused the Plaintiff’s Mercedes
Benz bus to hit a Mitsubishi L 200 Pick-Up vehicle with Registration No. GR
1839 – 13 driven by one Ofosu Asare and a Nissan Urvan Bus with Registration
Number GT 9986 – Z driven by one Samuel Takyi whose two vehicles were moving
from the opposite direction.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It
is the claim of the Plaintiff that all the vehicles including his Mercedes Benz
Sprinter bus were extensively damaged as a result of negligent and careless
driving of the 2nd Defendant.&nbsp;
According to the Plaintiff, as a result of the accident, it was denied
its source of income from the use of the vehicle from November, 2013 to 30th
March 2014.&nbsp; The daily sales of the vehicle
was GH¢200.00 which was six days in a week within which the damaged bus was
repaired bringing the total loss of income to GH¢22,200.00.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Finally
Plaintiff said the 2nd Defendant was arraigned at the District
Court, Assin Foso on the charge of careless and inconsiderate driving.&nbsp; Having pleaded guilty to the charges, the 2nd
Defendant was convicted and sentenced 80 penalty units or in default 6 months
IHL.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Defendant’s case:<o:p></o:p>In
their defence, the Defendants stiffly resisted the claim of the Plaintiff and
counterclaimed for inter alia a declaration that it was rather the Plaintiff’s
driver’s negligent driving which resulted in the accident and general damages
for negligence.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
side of Defendant’s case is that it was rather the Plaintiff’s bus driven by
one Yaw Asare which overtook the 1st Defendant’s DAF truck.&nbsp; In the process of overtaking the DA</main>