Question Tag: Estoppel

Prime Company Ltd, traders in frozen fish, entered into an oral agreement for the supply and sale on credit basis, of all its frozen fish to Addae Company Ltd. The affairs and the business of Prime Company Ltd were undertaken by its Managing Director and one Maxwell Mensah. Maxwell Mensah was never appointed by the Company as a director, but he transacted business on behalf of Prime Company Ltd with Addae Company Ltd, as if he were a director and the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Maxwell Mensah acted on behalf of the Company by signing the applications for the Company to be registered as an importer, apart from financially assisting the Company to start business. The name of Maxwell Mensah also appeared on the Company’s letter-head as one of its directors.

Prime Company Ltd allowed Maxwell Mensah to share in its profits by allocating to him fifty percent (50%) of the last consignment of fish. Maxwell Mensah entrusted the sale of the consignment allocated to him for his benefit to Addae Company Ltd and directed that the proceeds of the sale should be paid by Addae Company Ltd into the account of his private firm, Asanko Ventures Ltd. In the course of the transaction, Addae Company Ltd paid various sums of money being proceeds of the sale of fish supplied to Prime Company Ltd to both the Managing Director of Prime Company Ltd and Maxwell Mensah. No valid receipts were given for those payments. At the close of business, the trading account of Prime Company Ltd showed a debit balance of over GH¢ 16,000.00 against Addae Company Ltd. Prime Company Ltd subsequently demanded that this amount be paid. Addae Company Ltd resisted settlement on the grounds that it had already accounted fully for the cost of the fish sold to it on credit.

Required:

In the light of the above facts, explain whether Prime Company Ltd would be justified in denying Maxwell Mensah as an Officer of the Company.    (20 marks)