Stop scandalizing my name in the media or I sue – Sam Okudzeto threatens

Senior Lawyer and a member of the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council (GLC), Mr. Sam Okudzeto has threatened to sue civil rights activist, Emmanuel Korsi Senyo if he does not stop ‘scandalizing’ his name in the media.

Mr. Okudzeto issued the warning after Justice William Atuguba, chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council (GLC) in less than 5 munites on Thursday, October 26, 2017 dismissed a petition filed at the GLC by Korsi Senyo against him (Mr. Okudzeto), Mr. Vincent Kizito Beyuo and Mr. Ace Anan Ankomah over alleged professional misconduct.

There was a drama after the chairman dismissed the case. Mr. Okudzeto asked the chair to allow him to point out some issues to the petitioner.

Mr. Okudzeto told the chairman that Korsi Senyo has been using the media to scandalizing his name over the just dismissed petition and if he (Korsi Senyo) repeats it again he will have no option than taking legal action against him.

“If you don’t know, go and ask those you are supporting. I taught them and ask them what I taught them. I’m a law professor. Mr. Chairman, he has been using his media to scandalize my name and the next time you do that I will take legal action again, I will take legal action against you” – Mr. Okudzeto said.

“If you don’t know the law. Go and get a better lawyer to be advising you. If you bring a case to the Council, allow the Committee to handle the case not using your media to scandalizing my name.” – he stated

“Even my nephew who has PhD is far older than you” – He added

Background

Following the 3 year ban handed over to celebrated human rights lawyer, Mr. Francis-Xavier Sosu on June 1, 2017 by the GLC for finding him (Mr. Sosu) guilty of touting and personal advertisement on social media, many Ghanaian personalities and groups have condemned the ban and described the law on touting and advertising as outmoded and needs to be changed.

United for National Interest (UNI), a pressure group that has described the ban selected justice and afront to natural justice has been advocating for the 3year ban to be lifted on the young lawyer.

As part of efforts to bring to the attention of the General Legal Council, dozens of lawyers who are violating the outmoded rules has petitioned the GLC against about 35 lawyers for touting and advertising on June 14, 2017.

The GLC has failed to respond to petitions after the 14days stipulated period according to its own rules of disciplinary procedures has expired.

This has pushed UNI and Korsi Senyo to write to the GLC on August 2, 2017 (about 45days after the petition was submitted) to update them on their petitions within 5days or “we will have no option than to proceed to the court if we do not hear from you within five (5) working days of your receipt of this letter”.

The GLC, in less than 24hours after receiving the letter has fixed October 26, 2017 to hear the cases of Mr. Sam Okudzeto, Mr. Vincent Kizito Beyuo and Mr. Ace Anan Ankomah without forwarding the defendants’ (the trio) responses to petitions to the petitioners according to rule 4 of the GLC’s Disciplinary Process & Procedures which states “The lawyer in question must respond to the petition within 14 days of receipt of the petition”

On October 16, 2017, Mr. Senyo had filed for a search at the GLC to ascertain if the petitions have been served the Defendants.

However, the GLC, after three days, has since provided Korsi Senyo with any search result “we will call you when we are done with the search”.

This has triggered two motions filed by Korsi Senyo at the GLC on October 20, 2017 seeking to prohibit the trio from filling any defense since the 14 days as stipulated in “Disciplinary Process & Procedures” rules have expired and praying the GLC to rule based on the evidence he [Korsi Senyo] has submitted to back his petitions since it appears the defendants have no defense.

The hearing

On October 26, 2017, at the GLC’s all parties in the case were subjected to rigorous security body checks and all metallic gadgets were prevented from being sent to the hearing.

At the hearing, the Secretary to the Committee asked both the petitioner and defendants who were all present introduce themselves.

The secretary then proceeded to ask the petitioner (Korsi Senyo) if he has any further evidence apart from what he has already summited where the petition replied “No”.

The Chairman, Justice William Atuguba then said “We have reviewed your petitions and the evidence you submitted. You have found no case against the defendants. Case dismissed”

The committee did not make any reference to the two motions filed by the petitioners.

Post-dismissal actions

The civil rights activist has hinted he will be appealing the decisions of the Committee at the Court of Appeal on Monday, October 30, 2017.

According to him, he will also file for Judicial review as it appears the General Legal Council has violated its own rules of procedures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 which states that “The Petitioner shall present his/her petition against the lawyer in question to the Secretariat of the General Legal Council, A copy of the petition shall be given to the lawyer in question for his or her response, The lawyer in question must respond to the petition within 14 days of receipt of the petition, The petitioner’s comment is also forwarded to the Secretariat of the General Legal Council for onward transmission to the lawyer for his or her further comments, The Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council may then invite the parties for the commencement of the formal hearing of the petition, The Disciplinary Committee shall fix a date for preliminary enquiries”

Mr. Senyo also that disclosed he is considering of taking a legal action Mr. Sam Okuzeto for verbal assault and defamation.