THOMAS BAIDEN & ANOR vs. FRANCIS PARKER [2020]DLCA9899

Date	2020-11-25
Suit No.
Citation No.	[2020]DLCA9899

JUSTICE IRENE CHARITY LARBI J.A (PRESIDING)

JUSTICE GEOGINA MENSAH-DATSA J.A

JUSTICE YAW DARKO ASARE J.A

JOHN MERCER FOR DEFENDANT/APPLICANT/APPELLANT

CONSTANTINE K. M. KUDZEDZI ESQ. FOR PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS/RESPONDENTS

[2020]DLCA9899
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="_Hlk35510717">THOMAS BAIDEN &amp; ANOR<o:p></o:p></a>&nbsp;(PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>FRANCIS
PARKER <o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, CAPE COAST]<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. H1/52/2020&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: 25TH NOVEMBER, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>JOHN MERCER FOR
DEFENDANT/APPLICANT/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;">

CONSTANTINE K. M.
KUDZEDZI, ESQ. FOR PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS/RESPONDENTS <o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>JUSTICE IRENE CHARITY
LARBI&nbsp;&nbsp; J.A (PRESIDING), JUSTICE GEOGINA
MENSAH-DATSA J.A, JUSTICE YAW DARKO ASARE&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 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>Irene Charity Larbi&nbsp;
(Mrs) J.A.<o:p></o:p>(1)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Plaintiffs/Respondents hereafter
refererred to as Respondent’s commenced an action at the High court, Sekondi on
8th November, 2019 claiming against the Defendant/Appellant
hereafter referred to as Appellant the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>(i)&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;
“An
order directed at the Defendant to remove Defendants Car Washing Bay with its
ancillary structures such as polytanks and other from the access road to the
Plaintiff’s property.<o:p></o:p>(ii)&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;
Perpetual
injunction restraining the Defendant, his agents, workmen, assigns etc. from
constructing any structure in a manner that prevent them ingress into and egress
from the Plaintiffs’ property.”<o:p></o:p>The
writ was accompanied by a Statement of Claim. Upon service of both the Writ and
Statement of Claim on the Appellant, he on 26th November, 2019 filed
a Notice of Appearance through his Lawyer: <o:p></o:p>As
at 21st January, 2020 when the Appellant had not filed any Statement
of &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Defence, the Respondent filed a Motion on
Notice for judgment in default of defence under Order 13 rule 1 of the High
Court (Civil Procedure Rules) &nbsp;2004 C.I.
47. Before the return day for the application to be heard on the 29th
January, 2020 the Appellant filed a Statement of Defence on 23rd
January, 2020. <o:p></o:p>(2)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The High Court on 29th January,
2020 granted the application and struck out the defence filed by the appellant
on 23rd January, 2020 as incompetent as it was filed out of time
without leave of the Court. The Court therefore entered final judgment for the
Respondent on their reliefs. Before awarding cost this is what the Court stated
at page 46 of the record of appeal (ROA):<o:p></o:p>“Defence
Counsel on record …. is absent from Court today with no explanation. Upon
enquiries, the Defendant informs the Court that he had called him but was informed
he was in the other Courts. This caused the Court to stand the case down for
over half an hour and upon being recalled neither Counsel nor Defendant is
present. Unfortunately, the Court cannot be kept waiting neither is it fair on
Plaintiff’s Counsel who has been present all along. Cost of Three Thousand
Ghana Cedis (GH¢3,000.00) is awarded against the Defendant.”<o:p></o:p>