Licenses of lawyers engaged in fraudulent acts to be withdrawn- CJ

Accra Feb. 17, GNA - Mr Justice George Kingsley Acquah, Chief Justice, on Monday said Lawyers, who engaged in fraudulent practices would have their licences withdrawn by the General Legal Council (GLC). He, therefore, urged Lawyers not to be money-conscious but must be guided by the ideals of their profession.

The Chief Justice, who made these remarks at an enrolment ceremony for 11 newly trained Lawyers in Accra, further urged them not to extort monies from their clients after charging them legal fees.

The new Lawyers, all men, included Mr Asare Ochere-Darko, Editor of the Statesman, a private daily newspaper, Mr Elikem Nutifafa Kuenyehia, Mr Marcel Aboagye, Mr Thomas Kofi Alonsi, Mr Emmanuel Narh Baddoo and Mr Godwin Adagewine.

The rest were Mr Callis Nii Oman Badoo, Mr John Tulasi Ofori, Mr Africanus Owusu-Ansah, Mr Victor Yankson and Mr Enoch Nurale Yirebeyor. The Chief Justice, who administered their undertaking, noted that some Lawyers had failed to join chambers and have resorted to offering legal advice to the public under trees.

This practice, he said, did not only augur well for the profession, but complicated matters before the courts.

Chief Justice Acquah, therefore, urged the new Lawyers to attach themselves to chambers in order to be conversant with the practices of the profession.

"What pertains at the court is different from what you were thought in school."

Mr Justice Acquah told the new layers that they owed the society a duty to assist the poor and the vulnerable and to defend the Constitution. He advised them to work harder so that they could achieve higher laurels in their profession.

Present at the ceremony were Miss Gloria Akuffo, Deputy Attorney-General and Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr Paul Adu Gyamfi, President of the Ghana Bar Association and members of the GLC.