AZAMATI FRANCIS vs. GHANA ARMED FORCES AND ATTORNEY GENERAL [2019]DLHC10188

Date	2019-05-16
Suit No.	SUIT №. IL/0022/2018
Citation No.	[2019]DLHC10188

HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE ANANDA J. AIKINS (MRS)

DEFENDANTS REPRESENTED BY BETTY ARYEH

MR. YAW DANKWAH COUNSEL FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT PRESENT

MRS. LILY ADDAI MENSAH COUNSEL FOR DEFENDANTS/APPLICANTS PRESENT

<p class="mb-5" id="contentDlCitation"  hidden>[2019]DLHC10188</p>
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;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-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:#00B0F0;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;
mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">AZAMATI FRANCIS</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;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-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:#00B0F0;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;
mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;tab-stops:40.5pt"><i><span lang="EN-GB" 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-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;
mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;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-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:#00B0F0;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;
mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;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-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:#00B0F0;mso-no-proof:yes">GHANA
ARMED FORCES AND ATTORNEY GENERAL<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><i><span 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-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-no-proof:yes">(DEFENDANTS/APPLICANTS)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;tab-stops:0cm"><span lang="EN-GB" 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-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:
EN-GB">[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]</span><span 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-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-no-proof:yes"><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;">

</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">DEFENDANTS REPRESENTED BY BETTY ARYEH<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">MR. YAW DANKWAH, COUNSEL FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT
PRESENT<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;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">MRS. LILY ADDAI
MENSAH, COUNSEL FOR DEFENDANTS/APPLICANTS PRESENT<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;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-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:
EN-GB">HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE ANANDA J. AIKINS (MRS)<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">APPLICATION FOR
LEAVE TO AMEND STATEMENT OF DEFENCE PURSUANT TO ORDER 16 RULES OF C.I 47.<o:p></o:p></span></b></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;">

</div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">&nbsp;</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">The
High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules of 2004, C.I 47, provides per order 16 rule
5 sub rule 1 (a) and (b) as follows:-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">5
(1) “Subject to Order 4 rules 5 and 6 and to the following provisions of this
rule, the Court may at any stage of the proceedings upon an application by the
plaintiff or any other party grant leave to the plaintiff to (a) amend the
plaintiff’s writ, or (b) any party to amend the party’s pleading, on such terms
as to costs or otherwise as may be just and in such manner as it may direct”. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">The
present application is brought by the defendants/applicants under the above
quoted rule and it is a request on the Court to grant leave to the applicants
to amend its statement of defence to include certain facts that have been stated
in the defendants’ witness statement but which were initially omitted in the
statement of defence filed on 25<sup>th</sup> April, 2018. The defendants say
the amendment is necessary because the facts which are being sought to be
included in the statement of defence are material to the defendant’s case.
According to the defendants, the said facts relate to the plaintiff allegedly committing
an earlier offence and he being charged with the said offence and tried for it
whilst he was still employed by the 1<sup>st</sup> defendant.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">The
plaintiff/respondent has opposed this request on the ground that it has no
basis or foundation, and that the issues to be tried do not include the fact
the defendants are seeking to include in their statement of defence. The
plaintiff also said that the fact the defendants are seeking to insert in its
statement of defence is an incident which was dealt with in the past and that
the defendants/applicants are only seeking to amend their statement of defence
with the aim of embarrassing the plaintiff and also to delay the process of
justice.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">This
Court has considered both affidavits and has looked at the proposed amended
statement of defence and has also considered the submissions of both Counsel
and the Court is of the opinion that all facts relevant to the substantive case
must be laid bare before the Court to assist the Court to deliver an effective
and speedy justice in this matter. Therefore the Court believes that the
defendants/applicants must be given the opportunity to amend their statement of
defence to include all facts that are relevant to their case.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif">The
application for leave to amend the statement</main>