Ansa-Asare case: Daughter's Registration 'Wahala'

Accra, Aug 25, GNA - Mr Peter Worglo, Administrative Assistant in-charge of Students Academic Records at the Ghana School of Law (GSL), on Thursday said he was on Wednesday August 24 2005, asked by Mrs Linda Doku, Registrar at the School, to register Ms Irene Ansa-Asare, daughter of Mr Ansa-Asare, Director of the GSL as having enrolled at the GSL in the year 2004.

"I was asked to add her name to the second badge of the 2004 post-call students," he said. Recounting what happened, Mr Worglo who was giving evidence before the five-member committee, set up to investigate allegations of abuse of office against Mr Ansa-Asare, said on that day, at about 1400 hours, Mrs Doku, Registrar of the GLS, called him, while he was in his office through the intercom to see her in her office.


He said when he went there, he met Esuama Odoom, the Acting Chief Accountant of the School, adding that the Registrar then told him (Worglo) that the Director's daughter's documents were ready "so I should go for them from the Director's Secretary".


Mr Worglo said when he got to the office; one Luisa Condudery and the Acting Chief Accountant were making photocopies of the document, adding that the Director's secretary, one Dora Wilson, handed the documents to him.


Showing the document to the committee, he said the document was given to him to register the Director's daughter on the same day, August 23 2005, as having attended the school together with the second badge of the 2004 Post-Call students and also open a file for her to that effect.


Mr Maxwell Opoku Agyeman, a lecturer at the GSL and a petitioner in the case had on Tuesday, August 23 2005, alleged before the Committee that Ms Ansa-Asare had attended the GSL without the requisite qualification to do the Post Call course that she pursued at the School. He added that she had never paid any fees and also did not have any file to prove that she ever attended the GSL.

Answering a question by Mr Eric Agbolosu, Chief State Attorney and member of the Committee, Mr Worglo said although he could not tell for a fact whether Ms Ansa-Asare had been registered before entering the GSL, "what was taking place probably indicated that she had not been registered".


Mr Worglo said when he told the Director's Secretary that he did not have the list of the particular batch of students to which he had to add the name of Ms Ansa-Asare, she (Secretary) printed out the result slips and the performance report for the Acting Chief Accountant to be given to him (Worglo).


Mr Worglo said the Acting Accountant left it on his (Worglo) table in order for him to add to Ms Ansa-Asare's form, which had already been given to him (Worglo).


He said, however, that because he was aware of the case concerning the admission of Ms Ansa-Asare before the Committee, he did not register her as he had been instructed to do saying, "My Lord I was in a dilemma. I was in a state of confusion. I had heard on radio and read in the newspapers that the applicant was not registered."


He admitted that this was an exercise that should have been done in the year 2004.

Mr Worglo said he then contacted Dr Adinkra, the most senior lecturer at the GSL, who advised him to go ahead and register Ms Ansa-Asare if he could explain it before the Committee.


Not satisfied, Mr Worglo said he talked to one Adare, who advised him to talk to the Chairman of the Committee adding, "this happened around 4pm."


He said Mr Adare talked to a gentleman who directed him (Mr Worglo) to talk to one Tetteh-Mensah at the Serious Fraud Office. Mr Worglo said after narrating the issue to Mr Tetteh-Mensah, he was asked to return to write his statement on the morning of Thursday, August 25 2005, to which he complied, after which he was detained until he was released to go and give evidence case before the Committee.


Mr Worglo, who hinted that he only assumed his present position at the GSL this year, said although two sponsors were needed to sign the application form of applicants who wished to pursue the Post Call course, Ms Ansa-Asare's form was only signed by Mr Benard J. Da Rocha, saying the other portion was not filled.


He admitted before the Commission that if two sponsors had not signed the admission form, an applicant could not be registered at the GSL.

Mr Ansa-Asare argued that his daughter had paid all her fees and noted that the requirement of the GSL was that an applicant paid his/her fees only after completing with registration.


Mr Ansa-Asare said his daughter had been registered. He said his daughter's file had disappeared since August last year, adding that this sometimes happened.


He claimed that apart from his daughter's three files, which had also gone missing was found.


He mentioned the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn as the institution from which his daughter was called to the Bar.


Other institutions that he claimed his daughter had attended were the Cardiff Bar Vocational Course, University of Wales, University of Leicester and Bellerbys College.

Mr Ansa-Asare said his daughter's call to the Bar was published in the Friday 23rd July edition of the "Independent", a London tabloid and showed a photocopy of the publication to the Committee.


Reacting to allegations that the GSL had been paying utility bills accruing to 19 million cedis on his private residence in Larteh in the Eastern Region, Mr Ansa-Asare said he had been paying his own bills on the residence saying, "I have paid electricity bills on my Larteh residence from my own pocket and not with money belonging to the Law School."


He said his Larteh residence, which he connected to electricity in January 2001, did not even have a meter. "I have even sued the ECG for over charging me in the sum of six million cedis."


Mr Ansa-Asare said contrary to what was alleged, Read Wide supplied books worth 500 million cedis that were purchased for the Police Prosecutors Course.


Mr Ansa-Asare denied claims that Mrs Linda Doku was appointed as Registrar of the GSL because she was his (Ansa-Asare) favourite. He argued that the process of appointing her was backed by legal procedures, adding that documents were available to prove that. Sitting continues on Tuesday August 30 2005.