DANIEL KAMARA vs. NSIA INSURANCE CO. LTD. [2021]DLSC11024

Date	2021-10-14
Suit No.	SUIT NO. H1/52/2021
Citation No.	[2021]DLSC11024

BARBARA ACKAH YENSU JA (PRESIDING)

OBENG-MANU JNR JA

RICHARD ADJEI-FRIMPONG JA

K. OPOKU AGYEMAN FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT

OSEI TUTU NKWANTABISA FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT

[2021]DLSC11024
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DANIEL KAMARA<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>NSIA INSURANCE CO. LTD.<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">SUIT NO. H1/52/2021&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: 14TH OCTOBER,
2021<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>K.
OPOKU AGYEMAN FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">OSEI TUTU NKWANTABISA FOR
DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p>BARBARA ACKAH YENSU JA (PRESIDING), OBENG-MANU
JNR JA, RICHARD ADJEI-FRIMPONG JA<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;RICHARD ADJEI-FRIMPONG (JA):<o:p></o:p>In
this appeal, we are to determine an issue not of any wide compass. Need an
insured in a running down action whose liability has been determined in the
injured party’s prior action, be made a defendant again in a subsequent action brought
against the insurance company by the injured party to enforce the prior
judgment? <o:p></o:p>The court
below in this case, answers the issue in the affirmative and decides to join
the insured to the subsequent suit as 2nd defendant. The plaintiff
is aggrieved and appeals in this court.<o:p></o:p>In
this discourse, we are mindful that the question of joinder is one of
discretion, hence beyond the issue set out, we must find good grounds to
interfere with the discretion exercised by the court below. <o:p></o:p>We
shall come back to deal with the applicable principles, but first, the
background facts of the case.<o:p></o:p>On
23rd September 2016, the insured, Wahab Iddris was riding his
Jianshie motorbike from Accra to Kasoa with the appellant herein as his pillion
rider. In the course of the journey, the insured was said to have lost control
of the steering and as the result, veered off the road to run into a stationery
towing vehicle. The appellant sustained severe injuries on the right leg and
was rushed to the nearby Justab clinic, Kasoa from where she was referred to
the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital for further treatment.<o:p></o:p>In
the events that followed, the insured was arraigned before the District Court,
Kasoa/Ofankor on charges of (a) Careless and Inconsiderate Cycling, (b) Negligently
Causing Harm and (c) Failing to report accident.<o:p></o:p>Whilst
he pleaded guilty on the charge of failing to report accident of which he was
convicted and sentenced to a fine, he pleaded not guilty on the other two
charges for which, for reasons we hardly appreciate, he was discharged.<o:p></o:p>Following
the criminal trial, the appellant commenced a civil suit at the High Court
Winneba, claiming essentially, damages for the insured’s negligence and the
resultant injuries he suffered. <o:p></o:p>From
the record before us, the writ and statement of claim were served on the
insured by substituted service. When he failed to appear, an interlocutory
judgment was decreed in the appellant’s favour whereupon, an entry of judgment
was served on him, also by substituted service.<o:p></o:p>Following
his failure once again to appear, the learned judge proceeded to put the
appellant in the box to prove his case on oath. Being satisfied that the claim was
made out, the learned trial judge gave judgment for the sum amounting to GHC
32,480.00 in the appellant’s favour.<o:p></o:p>Subsequently,
on the basis that the respondent herein was on record to be the insurer of the
insured, the appellant commenced the instant action at the court below to
enforce the judgment obtained. His simply couched singular relief was as
follows:<o:p></o:p>“Recovery
of the sum of Thirty—two thousand four hundred and eighty Ghana Cedis (GH¢
32,480.00) being the compensation awarded by the High Court, Winneba in my
favour and against Wahab Iddrisu in respect of injuries I sustained in the
accident involving Motorbike No. M-15GR-4104 being driven by the said Wahab
Iddrisu insured by the defendant herein.”<o:p></o:p>On
being served with the writ, the respondent applied for an order to join
the insured to the suit as 2nd defendant, in its own words, “to
ensure that all the matters in dispute in the proceedings are effectively and
completely determined and adjudicated upon.” <o:p></o:p>The
application was strongly resisted by the appellant. However, the learned judge
of the court below felt persuaded to grant the order. She reasoned briefly as
follows:<o:p></o:p>“After
listening to both Counsel for the Applicant and the Respondent and reading the
affidavits in support of the motion and in opposition to the motion and the
attached exhibits, it is my considered opinion that from the pleadings filed so
far, the said Iddrisu A. Wahab, that the applicants are seeking to join to the
suit as 2nd defendant is a nec</main>