PRINCE ASANTE vs. ABSA BANK, GHANA AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC AND ORGANISED CRIME [2023]DLHC16038

PRINCE ASANTE vs. ABSA BANK, GHANA AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC AND ORG... [2023]DLHC16038

Date	2023-04-04
Suit No.	SUIT NO. HR/0018/2023
Citation No.	[2023]DLHC16038

HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE BARBARA TETTEH-CHARWAY (MRS.)

DIVINE DOTSE TETTEY FOR THE APPLICANT – PRESENT.

GENEVIEVE BOSUMTWI-SAM HOLDING BRIEF FOR ALBERT GYAN FOR THE 1ST RESPONDENT - PRESENT

BRIGITTE NADIA BARNOR WITH CHRISTABLE AWO TEI SASRAKU WITH KATE

ATANGA HOLDING BRIEF CHRISTIAN MAWUSI NTOW BRIEF FOR THE 2ND RESPONDENT - PRESENT

[2023]DLHC16038
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >PRINCE ASANTE
<o:p></o:p>(APPLICANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>ABSA BANK,
GHANA AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC AND ORGANISED CRIME<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, HUMAN RIGHTS DIVISION ONE, 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;">

SUIT NO. HR/0018/2023&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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:
4TH APRIL 2023<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; <o:p></o:p>DIVINE
DOTSE TETTEY FOR THE APPLICANT – PRESENT.<o:p></o:p>GENEVIEVE
BOSUMTWI-SAM HOLDING BRIEF FOR ALBERT GYAN FOR THE 1ST RESPONDENT - PRESENT<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;">

BRIGITTE NADIA BARNOR WITH CHRISTABLE AWO TEI
SASRAKU WITH KATE ATANGA HOLDING BRIEF CHRISTIAN MAWUSI NTOW BRIEF FOR THE 2ND
RESPONDENT - PRESENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>HER
LADYSHIP JUSTICE BARBARA TETTEH-CHARWAY (MRS.)<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: black; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0in;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:normal;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black 1.5pt;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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>1]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; PARTIES<o:p></o:p>The
Applicant, Prince Asante, is a customer of the 1st Respondent bank.
The 2nd Respondent is a statutory body responsible for investigation
and prevention of economic and organised crime, among others. <o:p></o:p>2]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FACTS
OF THE CASE<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Applicant’s
case<o:p></o:p>3]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Applicant’s case is that he holds an
account with the 1st Respondent. According to the applicant,
sometime in February 2022, he received an amount of GHC374,023.47 from his
brother, Reagan Mensah, for the upkeep of the family and to undertake a project
on his brother’s behalf. As soon as the money was sent, the 2nd
Respondent caused a freezing directive to be issued on his account thereby
preventing him from having access to same.<o:p></o:p>4]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Subsequently,
the 2nd Respondent wrote to inform him that they were conducting
investigations into a case of defrauding by false pretences, money laundering
and tax evasion in which he was involved. By the said letter, which he attached
as Exhibit E, he was requested to report to the Regional Director of 2nd
Defendant, on 25th February 2022 to assist with investigations,
which he complied with. He was further informed that 2nd defendant
had requested 1st defendant to restrict all debit withdrawals on his
account during the pendency of investigations<o:p></o:p>5]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; According to the Applicant, his brother
sent an email to the 2nd defendant to confirm the transfer made to
him and the purpose for same as evidenced by Exhibit B. <o:p></o:p>