Akufo-Addo Sued For Impersonation

NPP flagbearer in the 2012 general elections, Nana Akufo-Addo has been dragged to an Accra High Court accused of impersonation.
Former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Francis Kpegah is suing the NPP flagbearer for holding himself out as a lawyer when evidence available to him from sources such as the General Legal Council proves otherwise.
The writ filed on March 18, 2013 also indicted former President Kufuor for appointing Nana Akufo-Addo as Attorney General who doubled as the leader of the Ghana Bar Association.
In his statement of claim, Justice Kpegah said he became suspicious of Nana Akufo-Addo because his name was not on the roll of lawyers in Ghana and yet he was being given audience in the courts.
He further stated that when he caused a discreet investigation to be conducted, it was revealed that Nana Akufo-Addo was never called to the Ghana Bar but “rather one W.E.D Akufo-Addo who was called to the middle temple in the United Kingdom on the 22nd of July, 1971 and on the roll of lawyers in Ghana as No.1190.
Justice Kpegah claimed it was illegal when former President Kufuor appointed Nana Akufo-Addo as the Attorney General because in his view he was not a “lawyer in good standing”.
According to him “Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is impersonating W.A.D Akufo Addo who is on the roll of lawyers as No. 1190.
“The plaintiff finally avers that there is no lawyer in Ghana worth his salt who can say that you are called to the English Bar you can automatically practice in Ghana without being called to the Ghana Bar,” Justice Kpegah stated in his writ.
The plaintiff is therefore seeking seven reliefs from the court including: “A declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of the General Legal Council Act, Act 38 of 1960 (as amended) unless a person is called to the Bar in Ghana and his name entered in the Roll of Lawyers by the body mandated under the said Act 38 (as amended) to regulate the training and certification of persons after a prescribed course of study, that person cannot be deemed competent to practice law in any court of Ghana.”
He is also asking the court to declare that Nana Akufo is not entitled to practice law in Ghana.
“A declaration that the Law Firm established as Akufo-Addo, Prempeh and Co. at 67 Kojo Thompson Road, Adabraka, Accra is an illegal law firm and therefore not competent to represent any party in litigation before any court in Ghana.
He also prayed to the court that “A perpetual injunction restraining the said Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo from holding himself out as a lawyer competent to practise in the Ghanaian courts or anybody regarding him as such.”
Justice Kpegah further asked the court to close down the Akufo-Addo, Prempeh and Co law firm.
 
Source: JFM/GH