Private legal practitioner and former Minister for Roads and Highways, Inusah Fuseini, has cautioned Ghanaians against buying vehicles “off the street” without verifying their ownership history.
He stressed that such negligence could leave buyers with no legal protection if the cars later turn out to be stolen.
Fuseini explained that criminals often take advantage of the time lapse between a vehicle being reported stolen abroad and its shipment into Ghana, which allows the cars to slip through ports with seemingly legitimate documents.
“When the vehicles get here, the Ghanaian authorities focus more on shipment papers and customs duties. Sometimes these cars are imported under company names. Once the duties are paid, the authorities are satisfied. That’s why it is so important for individuals to take verification processes seriously,” Fuseini said on TV3’s KeyPoints on August 23.
He warned that buyers who fail to conduct due diligence could lose the protection of being considered a “bona fide purchaser for value without notice.”
According to him, a key red flag is the title of the vehicle.
“The title should always form part of the documents. That tells you who the previous owner was, and how the vehicle was sold, whether by auction or transfer. Even abroad, you cannot ship a car without the title,” he explained.
Another indicator, he said, is the number of keys that come with the vehicle.
“If you are given only one key, while the other key is still with the person who disposed of the vehicle, that should put you on notice. It means the rightful owner could easily track and reclaim it,” he noted.
Fuseini stressed that buying a car without taking these precautions amounts to irresponsibility.
“You cannot just buy a car from a street corner and assume you are safe. That is dangerous. The law will not protect you if it turns out to be stolen,” he added.
His advice comes amid rising concerns over the influx of stolen vehicles into Ghana, a problem authorities say has created a thriving underground market in the sub-region.
