TATIANA BOYA vs. MARIO DE CATALDO AND COTTAGE ITALIA INDUSTRIES LTD [2024]DLSC17454

Date	2024-03-13
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/41/2015
Citation No.	[2024]DLSC17454

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC (PRESIDING)

OWUSU (MS.) JSC

KULENDI JSC

ACKAH-YENSU (MS.) JSC

ASIEDU JSC

NANA ATO DADZIE

JOHN ODURO TANOH

KWAME BOAFO AKUFFO

[2024]DLSC17454
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TATIANA BOYA<o:p></o:p>

(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>

vs.<o:p></o:p>

MARIO DE CATALDO
AND COTTAGE ITALIA INDUSTRIES LTD&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>

[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>

CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/41/2015&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 MARCH, 2024<o:p></o:p>

</div>

COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>

NANA
ATO DADZIE FOR THE PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT/APPELLANT WITH HIM, JOHN ODURO TANOH<o:p></o:p>

KWAME BOAFO AKUFFO
FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>

CORAM&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC (PRESIDING)
<o:p></o:p>

OWUSU
(MS.) JSC<o:p></o:p>

KULENDI JSC<o:p></o:p>

ACKAH-YENSU (MS.) JSC<o:p></o:p>

ASIEDU
JSC<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNoSpacing" 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>

KULENDI
JSC:
<o:p></o:p>

INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p>

For the purposes of convenience, the parties in this Appeal
shall retain their
original designations as Plaintiff, 1st Defendant and 2nd Defendant, as
the case may be. The instant appeal is at the instance of the Plaintiff. The
Plaintiff is contesting the concurrent judgment of the Court
of Appeal dated
30th September, 2013 by which the learned Justices of the Court
of Appeal upheld a judgment of the High Court which dismissed the Plaintiff’s
claim of beneficial interest as a shareholder in the 2nd Defendant.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;

BACKGROUND<o:p></o:p>

The
antecedent contention which necessitated the disputations before the High Court
and as can be gleaned from the respective pleadings of the parties are as follows:<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;

The Plaintiff by an Amended
Writ of Summons
and Statement of Claim filed
on the 25th January,
2013 averred that she is the Managing
Director, majority shareholder and the registered secretary
to the board of directors of the 2nd Defendant Company. She contends that at
all times material, she was cohabiting with the 1st Defendant whilst also
managing and in charge of the local running of the 2nd Defendant, including
arranging for contracts in Ghana, the African region and related business
transactions. According to the Plaintiff, the 1st Defendant, on the other hand,
was resident in Italy and supplied goods ordered by 2nd Defendant while also
visiting Ghana from time to time.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;

Per
a deed of transfer dated 13th December, 2006 and stamped as LVB 5440A/9, 1st Defendant transferred 3,134,734.400 of 2nd Defendant’s shares valued at GH¢
31,347,344 to the Plaintiff. On 8th
June, 2010, per another deed of transfer, 1st Defendant transferred to the
Plaintiff an additional 153,601.99 shares of 2nd Defendant valued
at GH¢ 153,601.99 out of