Abedi Pele's fight with Malaysian Bank

Accra - Hearing of a case in which the soccer maestro, Abedi Ayew Pele, and his wife Mrs. Maha Pele, have sued The International Commercial Bank (ICB) for specific performance has begun in an Accra High Court.

The couple are demanding an outstanding payment of ?141,682 and cost of restructuring the building to suit the plaintiff,' request. The plaintiffs have constructed the building by providing facilities of banking plan such as banking vault security equipment and generators as requested by the bank.

The Abedis and the ICB entered into contract in which the couple had agreed to lease their five storey building which is situated at Pig Farm, a suburb of Accra for five years at ?566,728,000 a year with an option for renewal.

However, the defendant paid a 25 per cent of the yearly rent of ?141,683,000 and decided to rescind the contract and counterclaim the amount they had paid to the plaintiff.

Late last year the defendant opted for an out of court settlement. However negotiations broke down, hence the case had to proceed.

In two consecutive days Counsel for Abedi Mr. Ambrose Derry, led in evidence by Mr. Tanko Amadu, who holds the power of attorney, told the court presided over by Nana Gyamera Tawiah that somewhere, in 1998, while construction was going on ICB expressed their interest in taking the property for their banking business.

He said the bank submitted a draft agreement, through a letter dated March 24 1999, stating that they were leasing the building for ten years commencing on May 1. As the handing over day. He told the court that the first agreement of ten years with an option to renew was later changed to five years.

Amadu, said the first year rent was agreed on ?566,672,ooo based on which the defendants paid 25% of the rent.

He told the court that the defendants made numerous requests each resulted to material and structural changes diverting the plan from the original one. He explained that the plaintiffs proceeded to construct the property in accordance with peculiar requests made by the defendants.

However when the handing over was due ICB failed to turn up but later apologised and subsequently withdrawn from the transaction.

Amada tendered numerous correspondents between the plaintiff and the defendants to buttress his claims.

The case has been adjourned to March 31 for Amadu who is also a legal practitioner to continue his evidence and cross examination.