Achimota School, one of Ghana’s leading and prestigious secondary institutions, has been ordered by the Accra High Court to pay GH¢610,000 in damages for negligently causing the death of 15-year-old student Kervin Kofi Moses. The ruling, delivered by Justice Comfort Kwasiwor Tasiame, comes nearly eight years after Moses’ tragic demise.

The Negligence Case
Moses, a residential General Arts student, fell seriously ill while at Achimota Senior High School in October 2016. His mother, Sonia Ofori-Ansong, repeatedly sought medical attention for him. However, the Housemaster of Fraser House, Dominic Danso, failed to provide proper care. Moses was initially given ibuprofen at the school clinic, despite complaining of malaria-like symptoms. When his condition worsened, he was eventually taken to the hospital, but it was too late. Moses passed away on December 4, 2016, from a treatable malaria attack.

The Court’s Verdict
Justice Tasiame held that Danso breached his duty of care to the deceased. She questioned why neither of the two housemasters of Fraser House accompanied the seriously ill student to the hospital. The court found Achimota School negligent in providing timely medical care, leading to Moses’ untimely death. Justice Tasiame emphasized that Danso’s lack of remorse during the trial compounded the tragedy for Moses’ mother, who is now childless in a community where children are highly valued.

Damages Awarded
The defendants—Danso, Achimota Secondary School Board of Governors, and the Office of the Attorney-General—were ordered to pay:

GH¢400,000 as general damages.
GH¢200,000 for loss of expectation of life.
An additional GH¢10,000 in favour of the plaintiffs.
However, the court declined the request to order the defendants, especially Achimota School, to commemorate Moses’ death annually.

Seeking Justice
Moses’ family, represented by Sonia Ofori-Ansong and Gerald Nyarko, sought justice for their son’s preventable death. Their legal action aimed to declare that the defendants owed a duty of care to Moses, which they breached. The tragic case highlights the importance of prompt and appropriate medical care within educational institutions.

As the legal battle concludes, the memory of Kervin Kofi Moses serves as a reminder that negligence can have devastating consequences, even within respected institutions like Achimota School.