THERESA OFORI vs. STAR ASSURANCE [2014]DLSC4690

Date	2014-10-29
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO.J4/27/2013
Citation No.	[2014]DLSC4690

G. T. WOOD CJ (MRS) (PRESIDING)

J. ANSAH JSC

J. V. M. DOTSE JSC

P. BAFFOE BONNIE JSC

J. B. AKAMBA JSC

E. A. ANSAH ESQ.FOR THE PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT/APPELLANT.

BERNARD AHIABOR ESQ. (WITH HIM SUMMERS DARKO) FOR THE DEFENDANT /APPELLANT/RESPONDENT.

[2014]DLSC4690
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THERESA
OFORI<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>STAR
ASSURANCE<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/APPELLANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<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.J4/27/2013&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;29THOCTOBER 2014 <o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>G.&nbsp; T.&nbsp;
WOOD CJ (MRS) (PRESIDING), J.&nbsp;
ANSAH JSC, J.&nbsp; V.&nbsp; M.&nbsp;
DOTSE JSC, P.&nbsp; BAFFOE BONNIE JSC,
J.&nbsp; B.&nbsp;
AKAMBA JSC&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><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none;
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</div>DOTSE JSC: <o:p></o:p>This
is an appeal lodged by the Plaintiff/Respondent/Appellant, hereinafter referred
to as the Plaintiff, against the Court of Appeal decision dated 28th
June 2012 which was in favour of the Defendant/Appellant/Respondent hereinafter
referred to as the Defendant, which judgment set aside the earlier Kumasi High
Court decision of 26th June 2007 presided over by Frank Amoah J. <o:p></o:p>FACTS:<o:p></o:p>The
Plaintiff who was involved in a motor traffic accident, instituted Suit No.
E8/9/05 against one Aaron Owusu Mensah as defendant before the High Court,
Kumasi on 12th August 2004. <o:p></o:p>It
is to be noted that, as the said Aaron Owusu Mensah could not be personally
served with the writ of summons, the Plaintiff therein in the suit referred to
supra, applied for substituted service to have the said defendant served by
registered post to P. O. Box 252, Kumasi.<o:p></o:p>Paragraph
9 of the reply of the Plaintiff in the instant suit captures the said
proceedings as follows:<o:p></o:p>“On 30/8/04
when the defendant Aaron Owusu Mensah had not still been served with a copy of
the Writ of summons and the Statement of claim we applied to this Honourable
court to serve Aaron Owusu Mensah with the Writ of Summons and the Statement of
Caim together with all future papers in connections with the suit by
substituted service by posting them to P. O. Box 252, Kumasi and same was
granted on 8th September 2004.”<o:p></o:p>Accordingly,
all the future processes that had to be served on the defendant were served by substitution
through the postal address given supra.<o:p></o:p>On
the 26th day of June, 2007 the High Court, Kumasi delivered judgment
in the case in favour of the Plaintiff in suit No. E8/9/05 in the adjudged sum
of ¢739,000,000.00 now GH¢73,900.00<o:p></o:p>Armed
with the said judgment, the plaintiff herein on the 28th day of
December 2007, instituted the instant suit against the insured of the Defendant
in suit No. C8/9/05, who are the defendants herein. The plaintiff claimed
before the High Court in suit No. C8/57/08 the following reliefs:-<o:p></o:p>Writ
of summons<o:p></o:p>The
Plaintiff’s claim against the Defendants is for an order that the &nbsp; judgment debt and costs obtained in suit No.
C8/9/05 on 26/6/07 in this &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 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;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Plaintiff also claims interest on
the said judgment debt and costs i.e. A &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; total
sum of Seven hundred and thirty nine million (¢739,000,000.00) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; inclusive of the fifty million cedis
cost (¢50,000,000.00) at the current Bank Rate from 26/06/07 to date of final
payment.<o:p></o:p>The
defendants entered appearance to the writ of summons and filed a defence. The
defendants herein raised the following issues in their defence:<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Denied the existence of a valid policy
of insurance between them and the said &nbsp;&nbsp;Aaron Owusu Mensah.<o:p></main>