CAPITAL BANK GH LTD vs WILLIAM ATO ESSIEN, MENSA ANAMUA OTABIL, OHENEBA OSEI-AKOTO & 12 0RS [2023]DLHC16255

CAPITAL BANK GH LTD vs WILLIAM ATO ESSIEN, MENSA ANAMUA OTABIL, OHENEBA OSEI-AKO... [2023]DLHC16255

Date	2023-07-26
Suit No.	SUIT NO.CM/BFS/0034/19
Citation No.	[2023]DLHC16255

HIS LORDSHIP FRANCIS OBIRI ‘J’

AKWASI OPOKU AGYEMAN

JOE ABOAGYE DEBRAH

KWADWO BOAMAH BOAKYE

FRANK DAVIES

STEPHEN ASANTE BEKOE

THEODORA AMARH

THADDEUS SORY

FRANK BEECHAM

KWAKU GYAU BAFFOUR

MAAME DUFIE

SAMSON LARDY ANYENINI

[2023]DLHC16255
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >CAPITAL BANK GH LTD<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs<o:p></o:p>WILLIAM ATO ESSIEN, MENSA ANAMUA OTABIL,
OHENEBA OSEI-AKOTO &amp; 12 0RS<o:p></o:p>[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;">

SUIT
NO.CM/BFS/0034/19&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 26TH JULY, 2023<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>AKWASI OPOKU AGYEMAN HOLDING
BRIEF FOR JOE ABOAGYE DEBRAH FOR THE PLAINTIFF<o:p></o:p>KWADWO BOAMAH BOAKYE FOR HOLDING
BRIEF FOR FRANK DAVIES FOR DEFENDANT TO 1ST DEFENDANT/COUNTERCLAIM
(BANK OF GHANA)<o:p></o:p>STEPHEN ASANTE BEKOE FOR 8TH
DEFENDANT<o:p></o:p>THEODORA AMARH HOLDING BRIEF FOR
THADDEUS SORY FOR THE 6TH DEFENDANT<o:p></o:p>FRANK BEECHAM FOR THE 15TH
DEFENDANT<o:p></o:p>KWAKU GYAU BAFFOUR WITH MAAME
DUFIE FOR THE 14TH DEFENDANT<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;">

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

</div>&nbsp;The court has taken Judicial
notice under section 9 (3) of the Evidence Act, 1975 (NRCD 323), that almost &nbsp;&nbsp;all the
assets and liabilities of the defunct Capital Bank Ltd. have been taken over by
GCB Bank PLC. <o:p></o:p>Under section 9 (3)
of NRCD 323, Judicial notice may be taken whether requested or not. And under
section 9 (6) of NRCD 323, such Judicial notice may be taken by the court at
any stage of the action.<o:p></o:p>The Plaintiffs in this
case are Mr. Vish Ashiagbor and Eric Nana Nipa who sued in their capacity as
Joint Receivers/Managers in respect of the assets of the defunct Capital Bank
Ltd.<o:p></o:p>As I have stated already,
it is common knowledge, that the assets and liabilities of the defunct Capital Bank
Ltd. are now with GCB Bank PLC. <o:p></o:p>Therefore, the question
is whether the Plaintiffs are properly before the court in respect of their capacity
and or locus standi. The court will therefore set down the issue as to whether
the Plaintiffs can still maintain the action in terms of capacity in 2023?<o:p></o:p>It is the law, that
if a party has no capacity, then, the merits of his should not be considered
even if the party has a cast-iron case.<o:p></o:p>See: YORKWA v DUAH
[1992-1993] GBR 278 CA<o:p></o:p>Again, the law permits
the courts to draw the attention of parties in litigation to legal issues not
addressed by the parties, but which the court consider paramount in the
consideration of the issues before the court. And invite submissions from the
parties on the said issues, if the court would take into consideration such
issues subsequently.<o:p></o:p>See: SAVIOUR CHURCH
OF GHANA v ABRAHAM KWAKU ADUSEI &amp; 4 OTHERS [2021] 174 GMJ 1 SC<o:p></o:p>Also, a court is
entitled to apply the law to the facts of the case before her even if the
parties are unaware of it. Therefore, the court is not bound by the legal misconceptions
arising from the case.<o:p></o:p>See: GIHOC
REFRIGERATION AND HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS LIMITED (NO. 1) v HANNA ASSI (NO. 1)
[2007-2008] 1 SCGLR 1<o:p></o:p>I will therefore set
down the issue as to whether the Plaintiffs have capacity to initiate and or
continue this action? The parties are to address the court in respect of the
issue stated above.<o:p></o:p>The parties are to
address the court on the issue stated above on the next adjourned date.<o:p></o:p>The case is adjourned
to 10th October, 2023 for the court to take submissions on the above
issue. I order accordingly.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;<sp</main>