Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah
• Lawyer Kwasi Afrifa has denied peddling falsehood against the Cheif Justice
• He argues that he did not engage in reckless behaviour as he only followed through with what his former client told him
• Afrifa is currently facing 9 charges of misconduct issued by the General Legal Council
The lawyer at the centre of the US$5 million alleged bribery scandal involving the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana has denied peddling falsehood in the matter.
According to a JoyNews report, Lawyer Kwasi Afrifa argues that he did not engage in a reckless manner when he made the allegations but was rather following what his former client had stated to him.
Kwasi Afrifa who is facing a 9-count charge levelled against him by the General Legal Council is at the moment fighting a legal battle in the High Court after the Council in its initial hearings concluded that Kwasi Afrifa was cited for misconduct.
But the news portal stated that it had secured a copy of legal arguments filed by Kwasi Afrifa to build his defence.
“He details what, in his view, transpired in two General Legal Council meetings which he alleges was contrary to law.”
“Regarding the first GLC meeting on July 15, Mr Afrifa said he was informed the Chief (his client) had filed another process against him on arrival. He says he urged the Council to adjourn the matter since he had not been served.”
“This plea, he alleges, was ignored as he was handed the 8-page process, with the hearing taking off shortly after. He continued that after this hearing, he was informed that a prima facie case had been established and ordered to appear for a hearing on July 29, 2021,” the JoyNews report said.
Mr Afrifa, according to the report, said this is contrary to the due process laid before the Supreme Court on the need for a fair hearing in the matter.
The documents further reveal that Lawyer Afrifa insists he was not being granted a fair hearing hence was totally unaware of the misconduct case levelled against him by the GLC.
This he says has impacted his inability to respond to the GLC appropriately.
“He further claims the GLC did not follow its own rules because of service of processes. These alleged breaches, he believes, makes a strong case for the High Court to exercise its power to quash the proceedings of the Council. On the allegations against the Chief Justice, the lawyer explains that he simply repeated exactly what his client had stated. This, he argues, is not reckless or confirmation of truth or otherwise of the allegations,” JoyNews gathered.
Lawyer Afrifa in his closing argument concludes that 5 of the charges levelled against him are based on Legislative Instrument 613, which he argues has been repealed by Rule 103 of L.I. 2423 and therefore deems the remaining charges as fundamentally flawed and imprecise.
“One cannot ignore the undeniable fact that the mission which the complainant claim to have entrusted the applicant is unlawful, illegal and contrary to public policy”, his position on his client’s complaint at the GLC seeking to recover outstanding sums said to have been paid for “ways and means,” portions of the legal arguments said.
Lawyer Kwasi Afrifa on the other hand is praying the High Court to set aside the charges issued against him by the General Legal Council.