MR. ABDUL MAJID YUSIF v. MR. KWASI BOADU
April 12, 2016
HIGH COURT
GHANA
CORAM
- ANGELINA MENSAH-HOMIAH (MRS.) JUSTICE OF THE HIGH COURT
Areas of Law
- Contract Law
- Evidence Law
- Civil Procedure
- Tort Law
April 12, 2016
HIGH COURT
GHANA
CORAM
AI Generated Summary
Justice Angelina Mensah-Homiah of the High Court adjudicated a dispute between Kwasi Boadu and Mr. Majeed arising from a written agreement dated 26 January 2012. Boadu paid GH17,500 for 350 blades of refined gold to be supplied within a month, with a fallback liability of GH25,000 if Majeed failed. Majeed did not deliver and later alleged theft, while the parties set off part of the debt by selling Majeeds Toyota minibus for GH12,000 and releasing his Nissan Frontier pickup to Boadu; Boadu also advanced GH2,000 for medical expenses. Majeed accused Boadu of trickery and defamation at Fox FM and sought declaratory and injunctive relief. Applying the Evidence Act and Illiterates Protection Act, the court preferred documentary evidence (exhibit A) and corroborated testimony (DW2), found breach, rejected defamation for lack of publication proof, denied repair costs, awarded GH15,000 with post-judgment interest at the 91-day Bank of Ghana rate, ordered preservation and possible judicial sale of the pickup, and assessed GH3,000 costs.
JUDGMENT
By the endorsement on his writ of summons issued from the Registry of this court on 28/05/13, the
Plaintiff herein claimed the under listed reliefs:
An order for the payment of an amount of Twenty Thousand Ghana Cedis comprising GH¢15,000 outstanding debt on a contract signed with the Defendant to supply the Plaintiff with 350 refined Gold which the Defendant failed and GH¢5000 being an amount of money used by the Plaintiff to repair Defendant's Nissan Frontier Pick-up.
Interest on the amount of GH¢15,000 at the prevailing Commercial rate from 26th day January 2012 until date of payment.
Damages for defaming the Plaintiff
Cost
Any other order(s) as the Court may deem just.
Simply put, the Plaintiff's case is that by a memorandum of understanding dated 26/01/2012, the Defendant agreed to supply him 350 blades of refined gold valued at GH¢17,500.00 within one month. The Plaintiff allegedly paid the GH¢17,500 to the Defendant who to repay an amount of GH¢ 25,000.00 to the Plaintiff if he was unable to supply the gold. It is also the Plaintiff's case that when the Defendant failed to supply the gold to him, he refunded GH¢ 12,000.00 but took an additional loan of GH¢2,000.00 and thus leaving an unpaid balance of GH¢15,000.00. The Plaintiff further asserted that the Defendant released his Nissan Frontier pick up vehicle to him to defray the said amount and he
spent an amount of GH¢5000 to maintain it. Thereafter, the Plaintiff maintained that the Defendant used unperceived means to retrieve the said vehicle from him and also went on air to describe him as a thief.
The Defendant amended his earlier statement of defence and in the amended defence filed on 04/04/14, he admitted that the Plaintiff gave him GH¢17,000 to supply him with 350 blades or 35 pounds of refined gold. He alleged that the gold he procured was stolen together with his other property and subsequent to that, it was agreed between the parties that if the gold was retrieved from the suspects, the Defendant would give it to the Plaintiff, but if the Defendant reneged on that agreement, he would pay GH¢25,000.00 to the Plaintiff. The Defendant further asserted that the Plaintiff tricked him and took his Toyota Mini bus with a market value of GH¢22,500.00; unilaterally valued it at GH¢12,000.00 and said he was using it to defray part of his indebtedness. It is also his case that the Plaintiff requested him to bring his Nissan Frontier Pick-Up worth GH¢22,500.00 to convey diesel for