KOFI ANANE KYEREMEH vs PRIME GUARANTY FSL MICROFINANCE LIMITED
2019
HIGH COURT
GHANA
CORAM
- HER LADYSHIP, JUSTICE GIFTY AGYEI ADDO, HIGH COURT JUDGE.
Areas of Law
- Contract Law
- Civil Procedure
- Banking and Finance Law
2019
HIGH COURT
GHANA
CORAM
AI Generated Summary
This case involves a breach of contract claim by the Plaintiff against the Defendant for failure to repay an investment upon maturity. The Plaintiff invested GH¢117,452.05 with the Defendant for a 182-day period at 30% interest per annum. When the investment matured, the Defendant failed to repay the principal and a lawsuit seeking repayment, interest, and damages. Due to the Defendant's failure to appear in court after substituted service, the court entered a default judgment in favor of the Plaintiff. The judgment ordered the Defendant to pay the principal sum plus accrued interest, totaling GH¢133,021.59 (after deducting a partial payment of GH¢2,000). Additionally, the court ordered interest payments at 30% per annum from the maturity date to the date of partial payment, and at the prevailing commercial bank lending rate thereafter until full payment is made. The court also awarded costs of GH¢5,000 to the Plaintiff. This case demonstrates the court's approach to enforcing investment contracts and awarding damages in default judgments for breach of such contracts.
The Plaintiff on 28th June 2018, instituted the instant action against the Defendant for the following reliefs as endorsed on the writ of summons:
a. A declaration that the Defendant has breached the contract between the parties to invest the monies for a specified period and pay same plus the interest that had accrued thereon to the Plaintiff.
b. An order directed at the Defendant to pay to the Plaintiff an amount of GHs 133, 021. 59 being the principal sum and the interest that had accrued as at the 10th day of March 2018 less the payment of GHS2000. 00 that was made on the 16TH day of May 2018.
c. An order directed at the Defendant to pay to the Plaintiff interest on the sum of GHS135, 021. 59 being the accrued sum upon maturity of the investment from the 10th day of March 2018 till the 16th day of May 2018 when part payment was made to Plaintiff at the rate of 30% per annum
d. An order directed at the Defendant to pay to the Plaintiff interest on relief (b)above at the same agreed rate of 30% per annum from the 16th day of May 2018 until the day of final payment.
e. Damages for the emotional stress and trauma that the Plaintiff has been made to suffer by the Defendant as a result of the Defendant’s actions or inactions.
f. General damages g. Costs.
The gravamen of the Plaintiff’s claim is contained in paragraphs 3 to 9 of the Plaintiff’s statement of claim, filed on 28th June, 2018, a summation of which is as follows: According to the Plaintiff, on the 10th day of September 2017, he placed an investment of One Hundred and Seventeen Thousand Four Hundred and Fifty-Two Ghana Cedis and Five Ghana Pesewas (GH¢117, 452. 05) with the Defendant company to be invested over a period of One Hundred and Eighty-Two (182) days and at an interest rate of thirty percent interest per annum (30%). The Plaintiff says that per the certificate of purchase that was issued to him by the Defendant, the maturity date for the amount invested was the 10th day of March 2018, after expiration of the investment period.
The Plaintiff avers that the said maturity date has since elapsed as at the date of instituting this action, however the Defendant is yet to make good its obligations per the investment agreement.
It is the case of the Plaintiff that he has employed all diligent efforts to retrieve his money and the interest thereon from the Defendant but all his efforts have been futile.
That he caused his lawyers to write a demand notice to the Defendant on the 24th day