BENJAMIN DUFFOUR (PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT) vs. BANK OF GHANA (DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT) [2019]DLCA7708

Date	2019-11-21
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL: NO: H1/254/2018
Citation No.	[2019]DLCA7708

KUSI-APPIAH J.A. – PRESIDING

KWOFIE J.A.

AGBEVOR J.A.

MR. KWAME FOSU GYEABOUR FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT

VIDA AKANLISE FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT

[2019]DLCA7708
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >BENJAMIN DUFFOUR<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p>BANK OF GHANA<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT)<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-fareast-theme-font:
minor-fareast;mso-fareast-language:JA"><o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

CIVIL
APPEAL: NO:&nbsp; H1/254/2018&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 21ST
NOVEMBER, 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
KWAME FOSU GYEABOUR FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

VIDA
AKANLISE FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT<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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

KUSI-APPIAH
J.A. – PRESIDING, KWOFIE J.A., AGBEVOR J.A.<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;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div>KUSI-APPIAH, J.A.:<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiff/appellant, hereinafter called the plaintiff, was in the employment of
the defendant/respondent Bank, hereinafter called the Bank as a Deputy Manager,
until the 7th of March, 2014, when he was summarily dismissed by a
letter from the Bank for gross
misconduct.<o:p></o:p>The plaintiff’s case as contained in his amended writ and
statement of claim is that by virtue of his employment and in line with the
conditions of service of Senior Staff of the Bank, he was granted a licence to
reside in the Bank’s apartment at H/No. Flat 3, Block F, situate at East
Cantonments, Accra.&nbsp; He contends that his
residence in the said flat was governed by a licence agreement between himself
and the Bank.<o:p></o:p>On or about 25th June, 2011, the Bank wrote a
letter to inform all occupants of the apartment to vacate the building and
relocate to Adenta and Mataheko in Accra.&nbsp;
The purpose of the said relocation was to enable the Bank redevelop the
facility into a specialist hospital for staff and the general public.<o:p></o:p>The whole matter arose when all staff residing in the
apartment relocated with the exception of the plaintiff who refused to relocate
on the ground that he had a valid and subsisting licence agreement to stay in
the property as his licence agreement had not expired. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>According to the plaintiff, as a result of his refusal to
heed the unlawful attempts of the Bank in relocating him, the Bank imposed
certain sanctions on him (namely; forfeiture of his annual bonus, frozen
promotion for one year and loss of annual salary increment for 2014), which
sanctions were unlawful and also summarily dismissed him.<o:p></o:p>The plaintiff therefore instituted an action at the High
Court and claimed these reliefs:<o:p></o:p>“a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that the conduct of
defendant bank is in breach of the licence agreement between it and plaintiff.<o:p></o:p>b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that the defendant Bank
has acted in breach of the Senior Staff Rules and Conditions of Service.<o:p></o:p>c.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that the sanctions imposed
on the plaintiff is unlawful, illegal and ultra
vires.<o:p></o:p>i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that the ejectment of
plaintiff was unlawful and wrongful.<o:p></o:p>