Sosu sues General Legal Council

Human rights lawyer, Francis Xavier-Sosu, has sued the General Legal Council over what he describes as the violation of his constitutional rights by the body.

Xavier Sosu is hence seeking a declaration from the court that the actions of the GLC in their case against him, constituted a breach of the law.

He is also seeking a perpetual injunction preventing the GLC from proceeding with any investigations against him until the Council ‘fulfills the statutory and constitutional requirements of prescribing rules of procedure and publishing same.”

The writ accused the Disciplinary Committee of the GLC of making “biased, prejudicial and resentful” statements against Mr Sosu during his hearing.

According to him, the comments by the members of the Disciplinary Committee, which he claims were recorded, showed that the General Legal Council could not fairly preside any case involving him.

“I verily believe that unless ordered and restrained by this court, the respondent has no intention of respecting my constitutional rights to a fair hearing, and Respondent would continue to disrespect, undermine, mistreat and violate my rights,” the writ added.

“I verily believe that the conduct of the disciplinary committee of the Respondent, does not only violate the 1992 Constitution but also it violates the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDR) – particularly Article 10 on Right to a fair trial.”

The GLC announced back in June 2017, that it had banned the lawyer for overcharging a client and also advertising his services on social media.

It said, within the 3-year period, Lawyer Francis Xavier Sosu “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.”

The General Legal Council said Xavier-Sosu was barred for overcharging a client, one Francis Agyare, when he represented him in a Human Right case in Accra.

According to the General Legal Council, Lawyer Sosu charged his client GH¢50,000, which was “excessive” and an “overestimation” for the services rendered, although he [Sosu] had told the client he was offering his legal services for free.

It also added that the lawyer had flouted its Professional Conduct and Etiquette rules by advertising his law firm’s name and address on social media platform, Facebook.

Credit: citifmonline