Justice Jones Dotse
The Supreme Court yesterday granted a request by lawyers for Professor Stephen Kweku Asare, a United States based Ghanaian lawyer, to amend a writ in a case brought against the General Legal Council (GLC).
The seven-member panel of justices, presided over by Justice Jones Dotse, gave the plaintiff two days to file the amended writ.
When the case was called yesterday, Ofosua Amagyei, counsel for Professor Asare, said she had filed an application for leave to amend their writ.
According to her, the said amendment was minor and it was to put the issues in 2015 in context because the Ghana School of Law had completed its admission for that year and had gone ahead with that of 2016.
Kizito Beyuo, who represented GLC and Dorothy Afriyie Ansah, a Chief State Attorney, representing the Attorney General, did not oppose the amendment.
Hearing continues on May 2. The court is expected to take the memorandum of agreed issues.
In October 2015, Professor Asare proceeded to the apex court over the legality of the modes of admission used by the Ghana School of Law to admit LLB holders into the Professional Law Course by the School.
He contended that the number of people, who are admitted into Ghana Law School, was woefully small, considering the number of people who possess LLB.
The professor prayed the Supreme Court to declare that GLC’s imposition of entrance examination and interview requirements for the Professional Law Course violates Articles 11 (7) 297 (d) 23, 296 (a) (b) and 18 (2) of the 1992 Constitution.
He is seeking a declaration that GLC’s exclusion of persons who have qualified under Regulation 2 of LI 1296 from pursuing the Professional law course violate Article 11 (7) 297 (d), 23, and 296 (a) and (b) of the Constitution.
The plaintiff is also praying the court for an order directed at GLC to specify within 60 days alternative places and modes of instructions that afford all persons meeting the requirement of Regulation 2 of LI 1296 an opportunity to pursue the profession component of legal education, the completion of which entitles them to take the qualifying certificate examinations as determined by GLC.
By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson