Full Judgment: Man ordered to settle ex-lover GH¢200,000 for breach of promise to marry

The Accra Circuit Court has delivered a consequential ruling, ordering a businessman, Vince Kontoh, to pay GH¢200,000 in damages to his former partner, Ernestina Torgbor, for breaching a promise to marry her, following an 11-year relationship grounded in mutual commitment and reliance.

Presiding over the matter, Justice Sedinam Kwadam held that the defendant’s assurances were not casual expressions of affection but constituted a serious and enforceable promise, one that materially influenced the claimant’s life decisions over more than a decade.

According to the facts before the court, the parties were engaged in a long-term intimate relationship spanning approximately 11 years, during which they cohabited for eight years in an apartment in East Legon. 

The claimant reportedly invested substantial emotional, financial, and personal resources into the relationship, acting on repeated assurances of marriage.

The dispute crystallized when the businessman sought to evict the woman from the East Legon residence after the relationship deteriorated. In response, she initiated a counterclaim, seeking redress for emotional distress, reputational harm, and financial losses incurred in reliance on the promised marriage.

Key Findings

The court found that:

A clear promise to marry existed, evidenced in part by the presentation of a ring intended to signal commitment and deter competing suitors.

The relationship endured for 11 years, with eight years of cohabitation.

Both parties, being above 60 years, engaged in the relationship with a level of maturity that reinforced the seriousness of the promise.

There was significant financial interdependence, including the claimant’s involvement in supervising a major construction project on behalf of the defendant.

The claimant was publicly acknowledged as an “in-law” in the obituary of the defendant’s late father, a designation the defendant did not contest.

The claimant surrendered her own residence in Dansoman for nine years, relying on the expectation of marriage.

The defendant ultimately breached the promise by terminating the relationship and demanding that the claimant vacate the shared residence.

Reliefs and Damages Awarded

In quantifying liability, the court adopted a structured approach to damages, recognizing both the emotional and economic implications of the breach:

General Damages: GH¢50,000

Compensatory Damages: GH¢150,000

Total Award: GH¢200,000

Additionally, the court awarded GH¢20,000 in legal costs, granted the claimant ownership of a car previously used during the relationship, and permitted her to continue residing in the East Legon apartment.

Read the full judgment below;