Lawyer barred for 3-years over GHC50,000 fraud

The General Legal Council has withdrawn the licence of a Kumasi-based legal practitioner, Hanson Kodwo Koduah, for fraudulently obtaining GHC50,000 from his client.

He has thus been suspended from holding himself out as a legal practitioner or rendering legal services of any kind to anyone for the next three years.

“During the period of suspension, he shall not hold himself out as a legal practitioner or attend Chambers, or render, or purport to render any professional legal service to any person whomsoever, wheresoever,” a statement issued by the Council said.

Although the filing fee was GHC748, Mr Koduah fraudulently collected GHC 50,000 from Mrs Grace Nana Ama Oparah who he represented in a case before the Kumasi High Court.

The Council says Mr Koduah “knew or ought to have known that the statutory fee was GH?748.00” payable at HFC Bank Ltd at the High Court Registry at Kumasi, “but nevertheless failed to pay same to the said bank as practice requires”.

He subsequently charged under Rule 9(8) of the Legal Profession [Professional Conduct and Etiquette] Rules of 1969, L.I. 613 and after going into the case, he was found to have breached the Rules.

“The licence of Mr. Hansen Kodwo Koduah to practice for the legal year is hereby withdrawn forthwith,” the Council said in the statement.