D.K. OWUSU & 85 ORS. vs. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL [2020]DLHC10198

Date	2020-02-26
Suit No.	SUIT NO. IL/0020/2019
Citation No.	[2020]DLHC10198

HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE ANANDA J. AIKINS (MRS).

MR. ADJABENG AKRASI FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/JUDGMENT CREDITORS/RESPONDENTS ABSENT

MS. VICTORIA ADOTEY ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPLICANT ABSENT

[2020]DLHC10198
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >D.K. OWUSU &amp; 85 ORS.<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE ATTORNEY GENERAL<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT, 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: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">SUIT NO. IL/0020/2019&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;DATE: 26TH FEBRUARY, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
ADJABENG AKRASI FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/JUDGMENT CREDITORS/RESPONDENTS ABSENT<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: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">MS. VICTORIA ADOTEY, ASSISTANT STATE
ATTORNEY FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPLICANT ABSENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE ANANDA J. AIKINS (MRS).<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 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;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:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">RULING
ON APPLICATION FOR REVIEW<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;This Court, on the 31st day
of July, 2019, entered judgment in favour of the plaintiffs/respondents against
the defendant/applicant on the sum of GHȻ527,795.56
plus interest at the prevailing commercial bank rate from 24th
November, 2017 till date of final payment. The Court also awarded cost of
52,000 Ghana cedis in favour of plaintiffs/respondents.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It is this judgment that the
defendant/applicant has requested the Court to review per this present
application. The applicant’s reason for requesting for a review is that the
Court erred in awarding interest on the judgment sum at the prevailing
commercial bank rate. It was the contention of the applicant the commercial
bank rate of interest is only used when the parties had a prior agreement to
use same in calculating the interest and that what the Court should have
applied was the statutory bank rate of interest as provided for in CI 51 i.e. the
Court (Award of Interest and Post Judgment Interest) Rules, 2005.<o:p></o:p>The applicant also requested the Court
to review the cost of 52,000 Ghana cedis awarded against the
defendant/applicant since it was on the high side given the fact that the
matter did not go through a full trial. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The plaintiffs/respondents are opposed
to the application. They asked the Court not to grant the application because
the judgment was properly obtained. They also said since the defendant had kept
money which was due the plaintiffs for a long time, the plaintiffs/respondents
were within their right to preserve the value of their money and therefore the
claim for the award of interest at the prevailing commercial bank rate was
appropriate. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Court has considered the affidavits
of both parties and also the submissions of both counsel and the Court is of
the opinion that the application is to be granted since there is nothing in the
writ of summons and statement of claim filed by the plaintiff that suggests
that they agreed with the defendant that their certified debt of GHȻ527,795.56
was to be paid with interest at the prevailing commercial bank rate.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The judgment of 31st July,
2019 is thus reviewed as follows:-<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;1)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
Court strikes out the statement of defence filed on </main>