Renowned Ghanaian human rights lawyer Francis-Xavier Sosu, has filed a writ seeking to enforce his fundamental rights to fair trial as guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana It was filed at the Human Rights division of the High Court on 14th December, 2017. The human rights advocate, also filed an interlocutory injunction restraining the General Legal Council (GLC) from taking any further disciplinary proceedings in respect of him pending the determination of his human rights action.
Lawyer Sosu argued in his writ that in previous proceedings, he was seriously abused and threatened by the Disciplinary Committee Members who also made serious pre-judicial, political and religious statements against him that makes the committee unfit to ever hear any matter in respect of him.
Lawyer argued that unless the GLC prescribe rules of procedure for its Disciplinary Committee in a Legislative Instrument as required by section 9(1) of the Legal Professions Act, 1960 (Act 32) in accordance with the requirements in Article 23 and 296(c) of the 1992 Constitution, the Committee will continue to be lawless, arbitrary, selective, and abusive.
Lawyer Sosu attached the full transcript of audio of the 13th April, 2017 hearing of the GLC which he said reveals that he was targeted by the GLC. He also attached complete, unedited audio recording of proceedings at his first hearing by the GLC on allegation of Touting.
Francis-Xavier Sosu was suspended three years in June 2017 by the General Legal Council for misconducting himself. He was found guilty of advertising himself on social media and was subsequently banned from practicing as a lawyer for three years.
Source: 3news.com |Ghana
