Court awards cost against GIMPA Rector

Accra, Nov. 20, GNA - An Accra Fast Track High court on Tuesday awarded cost of two million cedis against Professor Stephen Adei, Rector, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), for failing to file his defence in a suit challenging his professorship title.

Mr Egbert Faibille, the plaintiff, had prayed the court presided over by Mr Justice Victor Ofoe, to award 10 million cedis cost against Prof. Addei for wasting the court's time and disregard for court procedures.

He said the defence was also flouting the court processes because it had no respect for court rules as well as the plaintiff.

The court, however, awarded cost of two million cedis instead of the 10 million cedis demanded by the plaintiff and adjourned the case to November 26, 2007 for counsel to file his defence in the case. Mr Faibille, Managing Editor of the Ghanaian Observer newspaper, had filled a suit at the court challenging the eligibility of Prof. Adei to hold himself out as "Professor" when the GIMPA Governing Council had not conferred the title on him.

He is also questioning the term of office of Prof. Adei as Rector of the Institute.

Mr Faibille, who is lawyer and is representing himself, told the court that the defendant had failed to file his defence in the case. He said the defence only filed for conditional appearance in the case, which, he said, was an insult to the court and waste of everybody's time.

"My Lord, this court should not be seen as supporting the defence to flout its procedures but should rather be seen to be enforcing its laws."

Mr Faibille also asked that the court list pasted on the notice board be amended to reflect the charges in the suit since the title of the suit on the notice board was different from what was on the original suit.

He said this should be done quickly in order not to send wrong signals to the general public.

Nene Amegatcher, counsel for Prof. Adei, told the court that the subject of the applicant was yet to be determined. He said he did not therefore see why any costs should be awarded against his client.