Lawyer withdraws suit to nullify new court fees

Mr Mathias Kwasi Yakah, a lawyer and human rights advocate, has put on hold his suit against the Attorney General and the Judicial Service for wrongfully applying and charging the fees of C.I.86 in criminal matters.

According to him, Mr Alex Opoku Acheampong, the Judicial Secretary, has personally had correspondence with him admitting the “mistake” and that he was immediately ordering all registrars and cashiers of the service not to apply and charge the fees of C. I. 86 in criminal matters.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Thursday, he said the assurances are worthy and that he believed that the Judicial Secretary would carry out his part of the bargain.

“I was seeking the general good and if steps are being taken to correct the anomaly. I think I only have to believe and wait”, he said.

Mr Yakah had signed and issued a statement to the Ghana News Agency in Tema on March 13 in which he “intended to bring a civil suit against the Attorney General and the Judicial Service to stop and prohibit the Registrars and cashiers from charging and applying the fees of C.I. 86 in criminal matters.”

“..and for a declaration that the application of civil proceedings( fees and allowances) Amendment Rules 2014 to criminal proceedings is unconstitutional, illegal and null and void and of no legal effect.”

According to him, apart from the illegality of the charges, it had far reaching dire consequences on the criminal justice delivery in the country.

He said most poor people could not afford the high and illegal fees which would one way or the other jeopardize their chances of accessing justice in criminal matters which is at the heart of human rights and freedoms.