BSIC GH. LTD vs. ZEBRA INVESTMENT GROUP, IDDRISU ABDULAI AND ZEBRA FC LTD. [2020]DLHC9972

Date	2020-05-18
Suit No.	SUIT NO. CM/0211/16
Citation No.	[2020]DLHC9972

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE YAW DARKO ASARE

BEATRICE ANNANG-FIO ESQ. FOR DR. AZIZ BAMBA ESQ.

FOR THE PLAINTIFF/JUDGEMENT/CREDITOR/RESPONDENT

ISAAC AIDOO ESQ. FOR DEFENDANTS/JUDGMENT/DEBTORS/APPLICANT

[2020]DLHC9972
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >BSIC GH. LTD<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/.JUDGMENT/CREDITOR/RESP)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ZEBRA INVESTMENT GROUP, IDDRISU ABDULAI AND ZEBRA FC LTD.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
(DEFENDANTS.JUDGMENT/DEBTORS/APPLS)<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;">

SUIT NO. CM/0211/16&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: 18TH MAY, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>BEATRICE
ANNANG-FIO ESQ., FOR DR. AZIZ BAMBA ESQ., <o:p></o:p>FOR THE
PLAINTIFF/JUDGEMENT/CREDITOR/RESPONDENT <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-left:180.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:
-180.0pt;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">ISAAC AIDOO ESQ., FOR
DEFENDANTS/JUDGMENT/DEBTORS/APPLICANT <o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>HIS
LORDSHIP JUSTICE YAW DARKO ASARE<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="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<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;The Defendants/Applicants are by this
instant application filed on the 27th of March 2020, praying this
Court for an order for stay of execution and payment of judgment debt by
instalments.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;By the supporting affidavit
accompanying the instant application the Applicants deposed to the fact that
they have, since the delivery of the judgment in this suit, been in constant
negotiations with the Respondents aimed at re-scheduling a periodic settlement
of the judgment debt and in pursuance thereof, they have issued a number of
postdated cheques and have also paid an amount of GHc500,000.00, which at the
hearing of the application, was corrected to read GHc50,000.00.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Plaintiff vehemently opposes the
said application on the main ground that numerous and repeated indulgences
granted to the Applicants to settle the judgment debt herein since the date of
delivery of the judgment in this case, have all been spurned by the Applicants,
who have evinced conduct, clearly designed at frustrating the Respondent from
reaping the fruits of its judgment.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Generally, this Court has a discretion
to grant or refuse an application for stay of execution and payment of judgment
debt by instalments and the factors which should weigh on the Court in the
exercise of its discretion have been settled not only by the Rules of Court but
also in a long line of cases. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Please see Order 45 rule 15 of CI 47,
and the case of Republic v High Court, Accra, Ex Parte Kumoji [2000] SCGLR 211
. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In the case of Republic v High Court, Accra,
Ex Parte Kumoji (supra) Kpegah JSC at page 230 of the Report
explained the competing interests which a Court confronted with such an
application must weigh in the following words:-<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>“…such an application calls for the
balancing against each other of two principles which are often in conflict in
such situations, namely, the principle that a successful party cannot be
deprived of the fruits of his labour, and the conventional judicial wisdom that
it would be inexpedient to enforce the judgment against the losing party who
may need some respite because of special circumstances or certain factors which
inhibit his immediate ability to liquidate the whole amount, except by instalment
payments at reasonable and regular intervals”<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In balancing the competing interests
between the Parties herein, the law starts off with the basic legal proposition
that as far as judgments for the payment of money are concerned, it has never
been the practice of the Court to deprive a successful litigant of the fruit of
his litigation by locking up funds to which prima
facie he is entitled unless special circumstances so warrant. Please see
the case of Abdulai v Agyei [1976] 1GLR 185@192<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;This means that the Applicants/Judgment
Debtors on their part must successfully demonstrate the existence of some
special and exceptional circumstances in order to drive the Court to exercise
its discretion in their favor and grant them a respite from immediately
satisfying the judgment debt in full. <o:p></o:p><</main>