HASHEM ABUKAF vs. AYUM FOREST PRODUCTS LIMITED AND ANOTHER [2019]DLHC6872

Date	2019-03-05
Suit No.	SUIT NO. OCC 36/2019
Citation No.	[2019]DLHC6872

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE

KAREN WOBIL FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

ANNIS MOGHTAR MOHAYIDEEN FOR DEFENDANT/APPLICANT

[2019]DLHC6872
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >HASHEM ABUKAF<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>AYUM FOREST PRODUCTS LIMITED AND ANOTHER<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, KUMASI]<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">SUIT NO. OCC 36/2019&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; &nbsp; DATE: 5TH MARCH, 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL: <o:p></o:p>KAREN WOBIL FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT<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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FOR DEFENDANT/APPLICANT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE DR. RICHMOND
OSEI-HWERE<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="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
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</div>This
is an application by the 1st&amp; 2nd
Defendants/Applicants, hereinafter referred to as “the Applicants",
praying for an order striking out/non-suiting the 2nd defendant’s
name from the instant suit and all other processes relative to the instant
suit.<o:p></o:p>The
background to the application is that on 9th November, 2018 the
Plaintiff/Respondent, hereinafter referred to as “the Respondent” issued a writ
of summons against the Defendants herein seeking the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The payment of forty thousand six hundred
and sixty-one United States Dollars, Forty-Five Cents (US$40,661.45) being
salary arrears and allowances.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Interest on the sum of forty thousand six
hundred and sixty-one United States Dollars, Forty-Five Cents (US$40,661.45) at
the prevailing commercial bank’s rate from 2015 till date of final payment.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Costs <o:p></o:p>On
19th November, 2018, conditional appearance was entered on behalf of
the applicants by their lawyer.<o:p></o:p>The
Applicants are unhappy with the inclusion of the name of one of them (Naja
David Group of Companies) as a 2nd Defendant to the suit and have in
this motion on notice which is backed by a 13-paragraph affidavit in support
invited the court to strike out the name of the 2nd defendant as a
party to the suit. The affidavit was deposed on the authority of the applicants
by a clerk of their lawyers. The relevant parts of the affidavit in support
read as follows:<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That I have the authority and/or
consent of the 1st and 2nd Defendants/Applicants herein to depose to this
affidavit the facts of which are within my personal knowledge and belief, by
reason of the duties I have been assigned to as a clerk in the conduct of this
suit.<o:p></o:p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That the Plaintiff/Respondent herein,
by a writ of summons accompanied by a statement of claim, commenced an action
against the 1st and 2nd Defendants/Applicants herein and same was served on the
1st and 2nd Defendants.<o:p></o:p>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That the 1st and 2nd
Defendants/Applicants caused counsel to enter a conditional appearance on their
behalf.<o:p></o:p>6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That there is no such creature both in
law and in person known and or described in the plaintiff’s words as Naja David
Group of Companies, Kumasi, i.e. 2nd Defendant/Respondent. It simply doesn’t
exist in law.<o:p></o:p>7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That I am advised and verily believe
same to be true that a non-existing entity in law, is incapable of incurring
liability whatsoever to the Plaintiff.<o:p></o:p>