KWAME AMANKWAH-TWUM vs. PASSION AIR DAC INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES LIMITED [2020]DLHC10522

Date	2020-02-04
Suit No.	SUIT NO.: GJ/0528/2019
Citation No.	[2020]DLHC10522

HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE ELLEN VIVIAN AMOAH

EYRAM AKYEA-ANSAH WITH AWURA KONADU KUSI FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESP – PRESENT

AFUA BOATENG HOLDING BRIEF FOR MARIETTA APPIAH-OPONG FOR THE DEFENDANT – ABSENT

NANCY AMARTEIFIO HOLDING BREIF FOR MRS. MARIETTA BREW APPIAH-OPONG FOR THE APPLICANT PRESENT

[2020]DLHC10522
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >KWAME AMANKWAH-TWUM<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>PASSION AIR<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>DAC INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES LIMITED<o:p></o:p>(APPLICANT)<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.: GJ/0528/2019
&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 4TH FEBRUARY, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>EYRAM AKYEA-ANSAH WITH AWURA KONADU KUSI FOR
THE PLAINTIFF/RESP – PRESENT<o:p></o:p>AFUA BOATENG HOLDING BRIEF FOR MARIETTA APPIAH-OPONG<o:p></o:p>FOR THE DEFENDANT – ABSENT <o:p></o:p>NANCY AMARTEIFIO HOLDING BREIF FOR MRS. MARIETTA BREW<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-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;
margin-left:108.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-108.0pt;
line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">APPIAH-OPONG FOR THE
APPLICANT PRESENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE ELLEN
VIVIAN AMOAH<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="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
tab-stops:4.5pt;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<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;This is a ruling on an application to set aside a
judgment rendered in default of appearance obtained by the plaintiff on the 16th
day of July, 2019 pursuant to order 10
rule 8 of CI 47. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Counsel for the Defendant/Applicant prior to
moving the application applied to withdraw a supplementary affidavit filed on
the 22nd of October, 2019. This was duly struck out as withdrawn.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>Firstly, the defendant has capacity to defend the
present action. Secondly, the writ of summons was not served on the defendant.
It is our contention that the defendant is not clothed with legal personality,
it cannot sue and be sued. The defendant is a business name registered under
the Business Names Act, 1962 (151). We have attached to our exhibit the
certificate of registration of the business marked same as exhibit PA2. This
shows clearly that the defendant was registered as a business name. Indeed the
defendant as a business name is owned by the applicant which is accompanied.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It is trite learning that from the date of
registration of an entity under the Company Act, permit me refer to the
repealed Act, the Company Act 1963 (179). It is trite learning that upon
registration under the Act 179, a company becomes a body corporate with
distinct business personality and can sue and be sued. This is not the case
where a name is registered under Act 151. Please refer to section 14 (5) of Act
179.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The question as to whether or not the registration
of a business name creates a distinct business personality arose and was
answered in the case of Barclays Bank
Ghana Limited v Lartey &amp; Ors. 1978 GLR 282 to 289. Justice Wiredu J, as
he then was held (counsel reads). It was settled registration under Act 151 did
not confers any direct personality on the business name. What does it then mean
when an entity has no capacity to sue or be sued. For the obvious answer I
respectfully refer the court to the unreported case of Standard Bank Offshore Trust Company v National Investment Bank, Eland
International Company Limited and Daniel Charles Gyimah Civil Appeal no
J4/63/2016 dated 21st June, 2017 where the Supreme Court at page
8 of the judgment cited with the approval the definition of capacity of Prof
Crownwell in an article entitled in locus standi – a commentary on the law in
Canada (Toronto, Carswell, 1986) (counsel reads).<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;What we are s</main>