STAR ASSURANCE CO. LTD vs. THERESA OFORI [2012]DLCA3113

Date	2012-06-28
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/58/2012
Citation No.	[2012]DLCA3113

MARIAMA OWUSU (MISS) J.A. (PRESIDING)

F.G. KORBIEH J.A.

IRENE C. DANQUAH (MS.) J.A.

BERNARD AHIAFO ESQ. FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

E. A. ANSAH ESQ. FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2012]DLCA3113
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >STAR ASSURANCE CO. LTD<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THERESA OFORI<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[COURT OF APPEAL, KUMASI]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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CIVIL
APPEAL NO. H1/58/2012&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; &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; &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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 28TH
JUNE, 2012<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&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;&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>BERNARD AHIAFO ESQ. FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

E.
A. ANSAH ESQ.&nbsp; FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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MARIAMA
OWUSU (MISS) J.A. (PRESIDING), F.G. KORBIEH J.A., IRENE C. DANQUAH (MS.) J.A.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>IRENE C DANQUAH JA<o:p></o:p>This is an appeal against
the decision of the High Court dated 9th April 2009.&nbsp; The facts of the case are these; The
Plaintiff who was involved in a lorry accident caused a Writ of Summons in suit
number E8/9/05 to be issued against one Aaron Owusu Mensah and obtained
judgment on 26th June 2007.&nbsp;
The Plaintiff alleging that the Defendant herein was the insurer of
Aaron Owusu Mensah and therefore has to pay the judgment debt issued the
present Writ of Summons claiming the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>“a. 
Against the Defendants is for an order that the Judgment Debt and costs
obtained in suit number C8/9/05 on 26//6/07 in this honourable court by the
Plaintiff against Aaron Owusu Mensah an insured of the Defendant be enforced
against the Defendant herein.<o:p></o:p>b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
Plaintiff also claim interest on the said Judgment Debt and costs; that is a
total sum of Seven Hundred &amp; Thirty-Nine Million Cedis (¢739,000,000.00)
inclusive of Five Million Cedis cost (¢5,000,000.00) at the current bank rate
from 26/6/2007 to the date of final payment.”<o:p></o:p>The Defendant duly entered
appearance and vehemently denied the Plaintiffs averments as well as her claim
in its Statement of Defence.&nbsp; The
Defendant averred that before the commencement of the action in suit number
E8/9/05 against Aaron Owusu Mensah, the said Aaron Owusu Mensah had been shot
dead.&nbsp; The Defendant further averred that
the action and the subsequent proceedings against Aaron Owusu Mensah (deceased)
as well as the judgment against him were fraudulent and void ab initio and a complete
nullity.&nbsp; The Defendant stated again in
its defence that the judgment under reference went beyond the confines of the Motor
Vehicle (Third Party Insurance) Act, 1958, No. 42 in which the
compulsory insurance is limited to only bodily injuries and deaths.<o:p></o:p>The Defendant contended
that the mandatory statutory condition of notice under Section 10 (2) of the Motor
Vehicle Third Party Insurance Act of 1958 was not fulfilled by the
Plaintiff and therefore the judgment was not enforceable on an Insurance
Company such as the Defendant.<o:p></o:p>At the close of the
pleadings the Plaintiff filed for directions and the Defendant also filed
additional issues.&nbsp; The Court set down
two issues raised on preliminary points of law to be argued namely:<o:p></o:p>i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether a suit filed against a deceased
person proceedings and judgment against deceased personally a nullity and of no
effect.<o:p></o:p>ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether or not the Plaintiff’s judgment if
any is enforceable against the Defendant herein.<o:p></o:p>The trial judge after
h</main>