SIC Hot Over Sammy Awuku GH�10m Compensation

State Insurance Company Limited (SIC) is struggling to prevent the payment of a whopping GHC10 million to 12-year-old Samuel Awuku as general and compensatory damages. Garry Nimako Marfo, lawyer of Awuku, who was knocked down by a vehicle insured by SIC which led to the lost of both testes and right knee, has filed a suit at an Accra Fast Track High court to compel the company to fulfill an earlier court ruling in their favour. On Tuesday, July 2012, an Accra Fast Track High, court presided over by Justice Utter Paul Dery ordered the state-owned insurance company to pay an amount of GHC10 million to Awuku as general and compensatory damages. This fowolled a suit filed against SIC, insurers of a vehicle with registration number UW 853 C owned by one Shaibu Sulemana, which knocked down Awuku, then 6 years on November 9, 2003. Lawyer for the victim expressed surprise at the level of contempt being exhibited by management and Board of the State Insurance Company (SIC) over the payment of compensation to the young man as ordered by an Accra High court. This, according lawyers for the victim, was because �defendant (SIC) has failed, refused and or neglected to communicate to the plaintiff�s solicitors or plaintiff though the insurance company has at all material times been aware of the damages caused the young man by their insured but has failed, refused and or neglected to pay him compensation.� Per the evidence, the Justice Dery awarded an amount of GHC179.30 for medical expenses from July 2004 to the date of payment and another GHC10,000 as cost. But lawyer for young Awuku, Garry Nimako Marfo has been compelled to file another suit to get the insurance company to honour its obligations to the victim due to the conduct of management. In the said suit dated September 9, 2012, Mr Nimako Marfo averred �unless and until compelled by this honourable court, the defendant (SIC) has manifested and evinced a clear intention not to comply with the judgment of the honourable High court.� He is therefore seeking an order of the court to enforce the judgment of Justice Utter Paul Dery. Management of SIC equally mounted a defence, claiming among others that the general and compensatory damages in the sum of GHC 10 million awarded against the company was �manifestly excessive� and that it was not party to the suit that culminated in the award of what they described as �excessive damages.�