MELCOM LTD.vs. NANA KWAKU DUA A.K.A. TIC TAC [2020]DLCA9857

Date	2020-10-22
Suit No.
Citation No.	[2020]DLCA9857

JUSTICE DENNIS ADJEI J.A. (PRESIDING)

JUSTICE L. L. MENSAH J.A.

JUSTICE MERLEY WOOD (MRS) J.A.

SAMUEL M. CODJOE FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

GARY NIMAKO MARFO FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2020]DLCA9857
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="_Hlk35510717">MELCOM LTD.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>NANA KWAKU DUA A.K.A.
TIC TAC <o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o: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: 0in 0in 1pt;">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/51/2019&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;DATE:
22ND
OCTOBER, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>SAMUEL M. CODJOE FOR THE
DEFENDANT/APPELLANT.<o:p></o: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: 0in 0in 1pt;">

GARY NIMAKO MARFO FOR THE
PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>JUSTICE DENNIS ADJEI, J.A.
(PRESIDING), JUSTICE L. L. MENSAH, J.A., JUSTICE MERLEY WOOD (MRS), J.A.<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0in;">

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:
150%;tab-stops:147.0pt;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">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>LAWRENCE L. MENSAH, J.A.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This
is an appeal launched by the Defendant/Appellant (referred to in this judgment as
the Defendant) against the judgment of an Accra High Court dated the 17th
day of November, 2017 in favour of the Plaintiff/Respondent (who will be
referred to as the Plaintiff).<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
Plaintiff is a professional Ghanaian musician, while the Defendant is a limited
liability Ghanaian super market company with several shops across the country.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Facts:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
facts which engendered the case leading to this appeal are that on the 21st
day of May 2009, the Plaintiff executed a two year contract with the Defendant
as its brand ambassador.&nbsp; Under the
contract Exhibit “A”, the Plaintiff permitted the Defendant to use his images,
voice and personal appearance for advertising and promotional purposes for a
period of two years as aforementioned.&nbsp;
Pursuant to the agreement, the Defendant erected several billboards
displaying Plaintiff’s images all over the country as directional signs for its
numerous supermarkets across the country.&nbsp;
During the duration of the agreement, Plaintiff was not allowed by the
Defendant to use his image, voice or appearance in any promotion with any of
its competitors such as Shoprite, Maxmart, Koala, Kwatsons, Lava, Forewin,
Unilever, Nestle and several others.&nbsp; The
contract Exhibit “A” expired on 31st May 2011.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It
was agreed under Exhibit “A” that a grace period of six months from the end of
the agreement would be allowed for the winding down of the advertisement,
promotion and campaign by which time the Defendant Company would have to cease
using the images of Plaintiff or his voice in any electronic or print media.
The six months grace period elapsed on the 30th November 2011.&nbsp; Despite the expiration of the grace period,
Plaintiff found his images on the Defendant’s billboards on May 2016 at Tema
Roundabout, Tema main harbour road and at Tema Community 3.&nbsp; These three billboards were tendered Exhibit
“B” series.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Upon
seeing his images on the said billboards, the Plaintiff instructed his
solicitors to notify the Defendant of the violation of the contract and
demanded compensation thereof.&nbsp; The
Defendant’s solicitors while admitting the existence of the image of Plaintiff
on their billboards, refused to compensate the Plaintiff.&nbsp; The Plaintiff argued that the Defendant’s
breach of the contract occasioned financial loss to him because the continuous
existence of his images has prevented him from engaging in similar promotional
contract of similar nature with any of the Defendant’s competitors.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
Plaintiff therefore instituted action against Defendant claiming the following
reliefs at the High Court, Accra:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.75in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;
text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:150%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">1.