WILLIAM-BOB NOVOROSE AYERIGA vs AMBROSE A. AYANGBA. [2023]DLCA16209

Date	2023-07-13
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO: H1/59/2023
Citation No.	[2023]DLCA16209

MENSAH-DATSA (MRS.) JA (PRESIDING) DARKO ASARE J. A.

DARKO ASARE J. A.

KWAMINA BAIDEN J.A

ROBERT TATTER ESQ.

AFOKO AMOAK ESQ.

[2023]DLCA16209
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >WILLIAM-BOB
NOVOROSE AYERIGA<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs<o:p></o:p>AMBROSE A. AYANGBA.<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:&nbsp; H1/59/2023&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;DATE: 13TH
JULY, 2023<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:115%;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">AFOKO AMOAK ESQ. FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>MENSAH-DATSA (MRS.) JA (PRESIDING)<o:p></o:p>DARKO ASARE J. A.<o:p></o:p>KWAMINA BAIDEN 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;">

</div>KWAMINA JA.<o:p></o:p>“Natural justice requires that the litigant be
informed of any proceeding against him or her.” (Page 213 of Civil Procedure
– A Practical Approach by S. Kwami Tetteh).<o:p></o:p>This Court is called upon, in this appeal, to
look at the application of the rules on service of processes under the High
Court (Civil Procedure) Rule, 2004 (C.I.47) especially the initiating process
of the writ of summons and the accompanying statement of claim. <o:p></o:p>The Plaintiff/Respondent (hereinafter referred
to as the Plaintiff) instituted an action against the Defendant/Appellant
(hereinafter referred to as the Defendant) in the High Court, Bolgatanga on 2nd
July 2019. A Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction was also filed the
same day together with the Affidavit in Support and the Statement of Case. A
Search conducted on 11th October, 2019 at page 15 of the record
indicates that the processes mentioned above were served on the Defendant on 5th
July, 2019. On 11th July, 2019, the order for interlocutory
injunction was granted against the Defendant. <o:p></o:p>The Search at page 15 of the record referred
to earlier indicated that the Defendant had not filed a statement of Defence or
an affidavit in opposition. We take note of the fact that the search was
conducted about three (3) months after the order for interlocutory injunction
had been made. At the time of the search on 11th October, 2019, the
Defendant had not been served with the order for interlocutory injunction. A
second search was conducted on 31st October, 2019 and the report
indicated that on 22nd July, 2019 at 11.35am the Defendant was
served with the order for interlocutory injunction.<o:p></o:p>Based on this second search conducted by the
Plaintiff, the Plaintiff on 9th December, 2019 filed a Motion on
Notice for Order of Commital against the Defendant. The application was granted
and the Defendant was convicted and sentenced to jail. He was subsequently
discharged upon his application. Thereafter, conditional appearance was entered
on his behalf and a Motion on Notice to Set Aside Service of Writ of Summons
Order 9 Rule 8 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004 (CI 47) was
filed on 19th February, 2020 to set aside service of the writ of
summons.<o:p></o:p>The application to set aside the writ of
summons was refused on 17th June, 2020. It is the refusal of the
said application that has occasioned this appeal. <o:p></o:p>The Appellant has appealed on the following grounds:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;a.<span style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;