DON BEN MING vs. ADAMS ADDY [2020]DLSC9907

Date	2020-12-14
Suit No.
Citation No.	[2020]DLSC9907

JUSTICE SENYO DZAMEFE J.A. (PRESIDING)

JUSTICE LAWRENCE L. MENSAH J.A.

JUSTICE KYEI BAFFOUR J.A.

WILFRED BABA AVIO FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT

NASH KWAME ADJEI FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT

[2020]DLSC9907
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="_Hlk35510717">DON BEN MING<o:p></o:p></a>&nbsp;(PLAINTIFF/ APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ADAMS ADDY<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(DEFENDANT/ 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. H1/69/2020&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: 19TH NOVEMBER, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>WILFRED BABA AVIO FOR
PLAINTIFF/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;">

NASH KWAME ADJEI FOR
DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>JUSTICE SENYO DZAMEFE, J.A. (PRESIDING),
JUSTICE LAWRENCE L. MENSAH, J.A., JUSTICE KYEI BAFFOUR, 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 Plaintiff/Appellant (who will be referred in this
judgment as the Plaintiff) against the judgment of the High Court, Accra dated
the 4th of April 2019 in favour of the Defendant/Respondent (who
will be referred to as the Defendant).<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This
appeal is about a Chinese national who is the Plaintiff entering into a barter
agreement with a Ghanaian pure water producer to exchange a number of
Plaintiff’s pure water manufacturing machines with a family land belonging to
the Defendant.&nbsp; This old way of
exchanging articles of value which is the hall-mark of a barter trade however
went the wrong way leading the Plaintiff to run to court in attempt to
vindicate his rights at the court below.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Case
of the Plaintiff:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In
or about February 2009, the Plaintiff a Chinese national aforesaid, entered
into a business barter transaction in which he Plaintiff gave a number of his
pure water making machines to the Defendant.&nbsp;
In exchange, the Defendant gave a number of plots of his family land to
the Plaintiff to seal the transaction.&nbsp;
From the record of appeal, there were two transactions between the
parties, both of which are covered by indentures, Exhibits “A” and “C”.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In
the first transaction the Plaintiff gave two reverse osmosis machines to filter
salt water for Defendant’s pure water business.&nbsp;
In exchange, the Defendant gave the Plaintiff eleven plots of land at
Ashalaja in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.&nbsp; The Plaintiff fenced the plots. An indenture
Exhibit “C” found at pages 85-92 of the record of appeal was executed to
evidence the transaction.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In
the second barter agreement, the Plaintiff gave six pure water producing
machines for Defendant’s business.&nbsp;
Another indenture Exhibit “A” found at pages 30-38 of the record of
appeal was prepared to evidence the transaction.&nbsp; Both exhibits “A” and “C” were executed on
the same day on 18th April 2009 and both situate at Ashalaja in the
Ga West Municipal Assembly aforesaid.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It
is the further case of the Plaintiff that when he sent the officers of the
Lands Commission to survey and demarcate the land towards registration, the
Defendant sent his agents to the land and they drove the land officers away
from plotting the land.&nbsp; The Defendant
gave another plots of land at a water-logged area and he Plaintiff rejected
same and insisted that he be given the plots in Exhibit “A”.&nbsp; When the Defendant refused to replace the
plots, the Plaintiff instituted action at the High Court, Accra with the
following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>&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; <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;
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