Teach our colleague lawyers discipline of corporation – Supreme Court Justice to lawyer

A Private Legal Practitioner Lawyer Dr Justice Srem Sai has received a commendation from a Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Issifu Omoro Amadu Tanko, for what the apex court judge described as having “discipline of the corporation.”

Lawyer Justice Srem Sai and his team are representing Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, Coconut Grove Beach Resort Conference Centre Limited and Groupe Nduom to move a motion for leave to file their Statement of Case out of time in a case they are challenging the Court of Appeal’s ruling that the Bank of Ghana’s revocation of the license of GN Bank is referred to Arbitration.

Before the court would take a decision on whether to grant them the leave or not to file their Statement of Case in the case to challenge the Court of Appeal ruling, all three respondents did not oppose.

All the lawyers in the matter – Lawyer Ahmed Justice Ennin for Bank of Ghana, Akawari Atindam, Senior State Attorney and Lawyer Justice Otteng for GN Bank – in receivership, also waived cost and said they do not intend to ask for cost.

The unanimous waiver of cost by the respondents caught the attention of the Sole Supreme Court judge, Justice Amadu Tanko, who singled out Justice Srem Sai for praise.

“…I must commend you for this. Teach our colleague lawyers the discipline of the corporation. I will commend you for the professionalism with which you engaged your colleagues,” Justice Tanko, who admired the cooperation of all the lawyers, remarked.

Counsel for Dr Nduom led by Dr Justice Srem Sai while moving the motion deposed to by Nana Ofori Owusu before a single Supreme Court judge, Justice Amadu Tanko admitted that his client had defaulted in filing their statement of case within the time specified by the rules of the Court.

According to him, the default was due to his genuine and inadvertent omission to add the statement of the case to the compendium of processes which he had caused to be filed in the Registry of this Court on November 23, last year.

He added that the said omission was not noticed until after the deadline for filing had elapsed and the Appellants and their counsel’s inability to cause the Statement of Case to be filed within time is severely regretted.

He contended that it was never deliberate, intentional, or otherwise intended to overreach the Court’s honour, grace, or dignity.

He, therefore, prayed the court that in the interest of justice, look upon the Appellant with mercy, and grant them and counsel the leave to file the statement of the case in support of the appeal.

Lawyers of the respondents – Bank of Ghana, Attorney General, and GN Savings and Loans Company Limited, which is in receivership all did not oppose the request.

The respondents also waived the cost, a development that drew the attention of Justice Amadu Tanko, who commended Justice Srem Sai for the work done. Justice Amadu Tanko after listening to the parties directed them to file their statement of case within 14 days.