UNIVERSAL MERCHANT BANK LIMITED vs NDK FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED [2023]DLHC16249

Date	2023-08-24
Suit No.	SUIT NO. CM/MISC/0624/2023
Citation No.	[2023]DLHC16249

HIS LORDSHIP FRANCIS OBIRI ‘J’

ERNEST GEMADZIE

ANDREW APPAU OBENG

[2023]DLHC16249
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;UNIVERSAL MERCHANT BANK LIMITED<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;&nbsp;&nbsp; (APPLICANT)<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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;vs<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; NDK FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED<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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (RESPONDENT)<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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
[THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE COMMERCIAL DIVISION, ACCRA]<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;">

<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">SUIT NO. CM/MISC/0624/2023&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; 24TH AUGUST 2023<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>ERNEST GEMADZIE FOR THE APPLICANT<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>HIS LORDSHIP FRANCIS OBIRI ‘J’<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="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:115%;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">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;The court is informed,
that there is a case pending before this court between the parties herein in
respect of the same properties the Applicant herein is seeking to realise in
this case.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The court is also informed, that the said case
was filed before this present case was filed. The court will therefore order
counsel for the parties to address it as to whether this case has properly
invoked the jurisdiction of the court because of the pendency of the other case
which was filed earlier in time.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It is settled, that the law permits the court
to draw the attention of parties in litigation to legal issues not addressed by
the parties, but which the court considers paramount in the consideration of
the issues before the court, and invite submissions from both parties on the
said issues, if the court intends to rely on such issues in the determination
of the case before it.<o:p></o:p>See: SAVIOUR CHURCH OF GHANA v ABRAHAM KWAKU ADUSEI AND OTHERS [2021] 174
GMJ 1 SC<o:p></o:p>Again, the court can also
raise or consider a legal issue which might have escaped the lawyers or the
parties in the case if it is fundamental to the determination of the case. It
is trite law, that a court is not bound by misconceptions in legal proceedings
by counsel.<o:p></o:p>See GIHOC REFRIGERATION AND HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS LIMITED (NO. 1) V HANNA ASSI
[2002-2008] 1 SCGLR 1 <o:p></o:p>If the issues stated above
are in the affirmative, then the second case may raise the issue of lis alibi
pendens in which one of the cases must be stayed or dismissed.<o:p></o:p>See: IN RE PARAMOUNT
STOOL OF BAMIANKOR; EFIA IV AND
ANOTHER V TAIBA II AND OTHERS [2010] SCGLR 37 <o:p></o:p>IN RE APPLICATION BY NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY AND PEOPLES
CONVENTION PARTY (APPLICANTS); TEHN-ADDY V ELECTORAL COMMISSION AND ANOTHER
[1996-1997] SCGLR 216<o:p></o:p>The case is therefore
adjourned to 30th August, 2023 for counsel for both parties to
address the court in respect of the propriety of this present application as
against the case which is already pending between the parties before this
court. I order accordingly.<o:p></o:p>