AIRPORT CLINIC LTD vs. PREMIER MUTUAL HEALTH [2019]DLHC6894

Date	2019-03-18
Suit No.	SUIT NO. GJ 899/19
Citation No.	[2019]DLHC6894

ERIC K. BAFFOUR ESQ. J

[2019]DLHC6894
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >AIRPORT CLINIC LTD<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>PREMIER MUTUAL HEALTH<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

SUIT NO. GJ 899/19&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: 18TH MARCH, 2019<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The dispute between the parties arose out of a
contract for the provision of medical services by the Plaintiff to the
employees of the Defendant. Plaintiff came to court alleging non-payment of its
bill to the tune of Gh¢65,759.31 together with interest. The parties reconciled
accounts and eventually agreed that an amount of Gh¢51,698.95 was what was
payable. Defendant has duly settled the principal amount arising out of the
reconciliation exercise. Before me now is the claim by Plaintiff seeking for an
interest to be paid on the amount of GH¢51,698.95.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>With the principal amount agreed between the parties
having been paid and the only issue outstanding being that of interest on the
monies paid, I was guided by Order 33 Rules 3 and 5 of the High Court (Civil
Procedure) Rules, C. I. 47 which states as follows:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“3. The Court may
order any question or issue arising in any cause or matter whether of fact or
law, or partly of fact and partly of law, and raised by the pleadings to be
tried before, at or after the trial of the cause or matter and may give
directions as to the manner in which the question or issue shall be stated”.<o:p></o:p>&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; <o:p></o:p>5. Where it
appears to the Court that the decision of any question or issue arising in any
cause or matter and tried separately from the main cause or matter
substantially disposes of the cause or matter or renders trial of the main
cause or matter unnecessary, it may dismiss the cause or matter or make such
other order or give such judgment as may be just”.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Accordingly I posed for the consideration
of the parties by way of legal arguments
the issue as to whether interest on the principal amount paid is exigible, and
if so, at what percentage. <o:p></o:p>THE LAW<o:p></o:p>Payment of interest may arise as result of agreement
between or among parties, by statutory provisions, by trade usage and damages
awarded by the court. Generally as a matter of law interest is payable when
parties in an agreement express the intent that the transaction entered into
shall attract interest. The law will enforce the mutually agreed transaction
agreed between parties arrived at arm’s length and in the absence of any of the
vitiating factors such as fraud, unconscionability, illegality and the like.
For this is how Court (Award of Interest and Post Judgment Interest) Rules, C.
I 52 states as Rule 1:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“If the court in a civil
cause or matter decides to make an order for the payment of interest on a sum
of money due to a party in the action, that interest shall be calculated<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; At the bank rate prevailing
at the time the order is made, and <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;