IBRAHIM AYOMIKU AZEEZ v. ROYAL RICHESTER HOTEL

This High Court judgment by Justice Kweku T. Ackaah-Boafo concerns injuries suffered by Mr. Ibrahim Ayomikun Azeez while lodging at Royal Richester Hotel in East Legon, Accra. After a split air conditioner caught fire on the first floor, heavy smoke filled the corridor to Azeez’s second-floor room, prompting him to jump from his balcony to escape. He sustained serious left heel and related injuries, received medical care in Ghana and the UK, and claimed extensive damages: medical costs, airfare, lost items, vehicle rentals, and lost income. The hotel filed a defence but neither it nor counsel appeared at trial despite service. Applying the Evidence Act and civil procedure rules, the court held that the Plaintiff failed to prove negligence and most special damages. Relying on the Ghana National Fire Service letter showing staff used extinguishers, the court dismissed negligence and several claims but awarded GH¢25,000 general damages, refunded £2,460.51 medical expenses, granted £1,000 towards airfare, and imposed GH¢15,000 costs due to the Defendant’s conduct.