NATIONAL TRUST HOLDING COMPANY (PLAINTIFF) vs. OFS MICROFINANCE LIMITED & 3ORS. (DEFENDANTS) [2019]DLHC7175

NATIONAL TRUST HOLDING COMPANY (PLAINTIFF) vs. OFS MICROFINANCE LIMITED & 3ORS.... [2019]DLHC7175

Date	2019-04-12
Suit No.	SUIT NO. CM/RPC/0172/2018
Citation No.	[2019]DLHC7175

HIS LORDSHIP GEORGE K. KOOMSON ‘J’.

CHARLES OKYERE FOR PLAINTIFF

MIRANDA BANNERMAN-QUARTEY FOR ANDREW DANIELS FOR 1ST DEFENDANT

SARAH KUSI FOR 2ND 3RD AND 4TH DEFENDANTS

[2019]DLHC7175
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >NATIONAL TRUST HOLDING
COMPANY<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>OFS MICROFINANCE LIMITED
&amp; 3ORS.<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[HIGH COURT (COMMERCIAL DIVISION),
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. CM/RPC/0172/2018&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;DATE: 12TH APRIL, 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL: <o:p></o:p>CHARLES OKYERE FOR
PLAINTIFF <o:p></o:p>MIRANDA BANNERMAN-QUARTEY
FOR ANDREW DANIELS FOR 1ST DEFENDANT<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">

SARAH
KUSI FOR 2ND, 3RD AND 4TH DEFENDANTS<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HIS LORDSHIP GEORGE K.
KOOMSON ‘J’.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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padding:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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>In this application the 2nd
Defendant/Applicant (hereinafter referred to as 2nd Defendant) prays
the Court to dismiss the suit for being frivolous, vexatious and for being an
abuse of the process being a matter the subject matter of which has been
conclusively ruled upon in a Court of competent jurisdiction.<o:p></o:p>The Plaintiff/Respondent (hereinafter
referred to as the Plaintiff) raised a preliminary objection to the propriety
of the present application on the grounds that the present application has been
brought too late in the day as the 2nd Defendant has filed a
statement of defence and participated in the process till the time when parties
have been referred to trial.<o:p></o:p>It is observed that a preliminary
objection is a special procedure whereby a process filed by a party to the said
process, which if upheld by the Court has the effect of terminating the life of
the said process, be it the substantive suit or an application, by being struck
out.&nbsp; In such situations the Court not
only has the authority, but also the duty to determine the application or the
suit in limine where the lack of competence is established.&nbsp; This is because the competence of an action
or application rubs on the jurisdiction of the Court to hear the said
application or suit.<o:p></o:p>I have read the application filed by
the 2nd Defendant. I have also read all the affidavits and
supplementary affidavit filed by the 2nd Defendant and Plaintiff.
Regard has also been given to the written submissions filed by both Counsel for
the 2nd Defendant and the Plaintiff. Thoughtful consideration has
been given to the rules governing applications to dismiss or strike out
suits.&nbsp; It is however useful for me to
place emphasis on Order 9 rule 8 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules,
2004, as amended (C.I. 47), which provides that:<o:p></o:p>“8. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
Defendant may at any time before filing appearance, or, if the Defendant has
filed a conditional appearance, within fourteen days after filing appearance,
apply to the Court for an order to<o:p></o:p>(a)<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;
Set aside the writ or service of the
writ.<o:p></o:p>(b)<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;
Declare the writ or notice of it has
not been served on the Defendant; or<o:p></o:p>(c)<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Discharge any order that gives leave to
serve the notice on the Defendant outside the country.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>