HERCULES MARINE LIMITED vs. THE VESSEL “DLB SEA HORIZON” & 14 ORS [2022]DLHC17004

Date	2022-01-14
Suit No.	SUIT NO: E2/93/19
Citation No.	[2022]DLHC17004

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE J.

DR. KOFI MBIAH ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPLICANT

NANA OSEI-ADUTWUM ESQ. FOR ESINE OKUDZETO FOR THE 11TH DEFENDANT/INTERVENER/ RESPONDENT

ROSENBURG OWUSU ADOKO ESQ. FOR THE 13TH & 14TH DEFENDANTS/INTERVENERS/APPLICANTS

EDMUND ACQUAAH-ARHIN ESQ. FOR THE 15TH DEFENDANT/INTERVENER.

[2022]DLHC17004
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >HERCULES MARINE LIMITED <o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/APPLICANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE VESSEL “DLB SEA HORIZON” &amp; 14 ORS<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(DEFENDANTS/INTERVENERS)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT, SEKONDI]<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: E2/93/19&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: 14TH&nbsp;JANUARY, 2022<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL&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;&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>DR. KOFI MBIAH ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPLICANT<o:p></o:p>NANA OSEI-ADUTWUM ESQ. FOR ESINE OKUDZETO FOR THE 11TH DEFENDANT/INTERVENER/
RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>ROSENBURG OWUSU ADOKO ESQ. FOR THE 13TH &amp; 14TH
DEFENDANTS/INTERVENERS/APPLICANTS<o:p></o:p>EDMUND ACQUAAH-ARHIN ESQ. FOR THE 15TH
DEFENDANT/INTERVENER.<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;">

</div>CORAM&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<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;">

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE
DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE J. <o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;<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;">

RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;Before
me are two separate motions on notice for final judgment in default of defence
against the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and
8th Defendants in favour of Plaintiff on one hand and the 13th
and 14th Interveners on the other. The Plaintiff, 13th and 14th
Interveners (hereinafter called the “Applicants”) have filed this application
pursuant to Order 13 Rule 1 (1) &amp; (2) of the High Court (Civil Procedure)
Rules, 2004 (CI 47) and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.<o:p></o:p>The background facts leading to this application are that
on 26th of June, 2019 the plaintiff herein instituted action against
the 1st to 10th Defendants herein praying for the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; AN
ORDER FOR RECOVERY FROM THE 3RD TO 10TH DEFENDANTS of the
sum of $7,571,658.70 [Seven Million Five Hundred and Seventy-One Thousand, Six
Hundred and Fifty-Eight Dollars, Seventy Cents] and N170,973,214.50 [One
Hundred and Seventy Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Three Thousand, Two Hundred
and Fourteen Naira, Fifty Kobo] being debt owed to the Plaintiff for hiring
barges and vessels which provided services on the instructions of the 3rd
to 10th Defendants to the 1st Defendant Vessel and for the supply of
goods and necessaries in the performance of contracts awarded to the 3rd to
10th Defendants by CHEVRON, CONOIL, SHELL and other oil companies operating in
Nigeria. <o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; INTEREST
on the said sum of $7,571,658.70 and N170,973,214.50 at the prevailing
Commercial Bank interest rate from the 1st June, 2017 till the whole
debt together with the interest is fully paid. <o:p></o:p>OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE<o:p></o:p>AN ORDER that the 1st Defendant Vessel be APPRAISE AND
SOLD to liquidate the sum $7,571,658.70 and N170,973,214.50 together with
interests owed to the Plaintiff.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Special
Damages in the sum of $70,000 being Legal Costs incurred by the Plaintiff.<o:p></o:p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; General
Damages in the sum of GH¢ 500,000.00.<o:p></o:p>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Any
other consequential or other costs that this honourable court may deem fit to
make in the circumstances.<o:p></o:p>The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th
and 8th Defendants (hereinafter called the “Respondents”) entered
appearance to the Plaintiff’s writ on 3rd July, 2019 and
subsequently filed a joint statement of defence. <o:p></o:p>On 27th June, 2019 the court ordered for the
arrest of the 1st Defendant vessel upon applicati</main>