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AKORTSU v. STATE INSURANCE CORPORATION

February 29, 1972

HIGH COURT

GHANA

CORAM

  • FRANCOIS J

Areas of Law

  • Insurance Law
  • Tort Law

AI Generated Summary

The case concerns an action by a judgment creditor seeking to compel an insurer to satisfy damages awarded in a prior running down suit against tortfeasor Aurelia A. Akoto. The plaintiff relied on insurance certificate No. 240296 for vehicle ER 1354, allegedly obtained through Isaac Newton Yaw Ayiku, but never produced any policy. The defendants denied insuring ER 1354 or Akoto, asserting policy C.V. 257824 covered Zacharia Musa’s vehicle AT 8113 with certificate 246529, and tendered the policy card. Evidence showed careless internal procedures, including typist Miss Podzogbey’s handling of certificates and a control book (exhibit 2) noting missing forms, yet the court found no fraud or ostensible authority sufficient to bind the insurer. Applying authorities that only a valid policy creates liability and that a certificate is evidentiary, not contractual, the court dismissed the claim, lamenting the gap in Ghana’s statutory protection for accident victims.

JUDGMENT