LAWRENCE YAW NTAADU vs STEPHEN BOAKYE [2023]DLCA16189

Date	2023-07-27
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO: H1/129/2023
Citation No.	[2023]DLCA16189

MENSAH-HOMIAH JA (PRESIDING)

OWUSU-OFORI J. A.

OBENG DIAWUO J.A.

NANA OBIRI BOAHEN

BARIMAH AGYEKUM HINNEH

[2023]DLCA16189
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >LAWRENCE YAW NTAADU<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>STEPHEN BOAKYE<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<o:p></o:p>&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;">

CIVIL APPEAL
NO: H1/129/2023&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &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: 27 JULY 2023<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>NANA
OBIRI BOAHEN FOR THE DEFENDANT/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: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p>MENSAH-HOMIAH
JA (PRESIDING)<o:p></o:p>OWUSU-OFORI
J. A.<o:p></o:p>OBENG
DIAWUO 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 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;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">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>MENSAH-HOMIAH, J.A.<o:p></o:p>INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p>This is an appeal by the Defendant/Appellant (henceforth
referred to as the Defendant) against the Judgment of the High Court, Sefwi
Wiawso, dated 24th November 2022, wherein Judgment was entered in
favour of the Plaintiff/Respondent (hereinafter called Plaintiff). The
Defendant has invoked our jurisdiction per his notice of appeal filed on 22nd
December 2022.<o:p></o:p>In this appeal, we would be considering, inter alia,
whether a court can suo motu review a contract which is the subject
matter of a dispute and grant a relief which is inconsistent with the case put
forward by a plaintiff; as well as grounds for rescission/terminating a
contract at law and in equity.<o:p></o:p>THE FACTS<o:p></o:p>The brief facts are that, pursuant to an agreement made
between Plaintiff acting through his agent and the Defendant sometime in April
2014, Defendant agreed to buy Plaintiff’s hotel under the name Marcellina (sic)
Hotel, for the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand Ghana Cedis (GH₵150,000.0).
The agreement was reduced into writing. Per this agreement, Defendant made a
part payment of forty thousand Ghana Cedis (GH₵40,000.00),
and he was required to pay the outstanding balance of one hundred and ten
thousand Ghana Cedis one hundred and ten thousand Ghana Cedis (GH₵
110,000.00), on or before 31st December 2014. The agreement also
contained a clause that, if Defendant failed to pay the outstanding balance of one
hundred and ten thousand Ghana Cedis (GH₵110,000.00)
by the due date, the transaction would be reviewed by Plaintiff. The Defendant,
having made the part-payment of forty thousand Ghana Cedis (GH₵40,000.00),
was put in possession of the hotel by Plaintiff on 22nd April, 2014.
The Defendant then &nbsp;&nbsp;changed the name of
the hotel to “Obaapa Hotel”, which he has been operating to date. <o:p></o:p>The Defendant failed to pay the outstanding balance of
one hundred and ten thousand Ghana Cedis (GH₵110,000.00)
which was due on or before 31st December, 2014, and his request for extension
of time within which to settle this amount was turned down by Plaintiff. The Defendant
allegedly promised to hand over the hotel to Plaintiff, subject to going into
accounts with Plaintiff for the period defendant had run the hotel, but this
never happened. According to Plaintiff, the Defendant has run down the hotel
which was allegedly bringing in revenue of GH₵4,500
to GH₵5000
per month. After discontinuing an earlier action against Defendant, Suit Number
E12/10/15, Plaintiff commenced the instant action against Defendant on 23rd
December 2015, claiming the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>An order for recovery of possession of the
building which is being run as Hotel Obaapa by the Defendant which said hotel
defendant agreed with plaintiff to buy but could not pay the full cost.<o:p></o:p>An order directed at the defendant to account
for the period that the defendant has operated the hotel, i.e., from 22/04/2014
to date of recovery of possession, and defendant’s deposit paid therefrom.<o:p></o:p>An order that defendant pays for the
items/properties destroyed whilst operating the said hotel.<o:p></o:p>An order of injunction to restrain the
defendant, his agents, assigns etc. from further operations at the said hotel.<o:p></o:p>The Defendant did not deny non-payment of the outstanding
balance of one hundred and ten thousand Ghana Cedis (GH₵