The General Legal Council has suspended a lawyer in Kumasi for three years after he duped his client to the tune of GHc 50,000.
The lawyer in question, Hansen Kodwo Koduah, was suspended after he inflated the required filing fee from the statutory GHc 748 to GHc50,000.
[contextly_sidebar id=”hpMtC6SsjYiOOAdDO7TmC9Gmcahm6PA3″]A statement from the Council noted that, Lawyer Koduah was formally charged under Rule 9(8) of the Legal Profession Rules, 1969 L.I. 613.
During the period of his suspension, Lawyer Koduah will not be allowed to hold himself out as a Legal Practitioner or render professional legal service to any individual.
Find below the full statement from the Ghana Legal Council
Suspension of Lawyer Hansen Kodwo Koduah from Legal Practice
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Lawyer Hanson Kodwo Koduah is hereby suspended from legal practice for a period of three (3) years with effect from June, 2016.
The above – named person was formally charged under Rule 9(8) of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 1969 L.I. 613 that he, while acting as counsel for Mrs. Grace Nana Ama Oparah represented to her that she was required to pay a filing fee in the sum of GH₵50,000.00 in the case titled as Mrs. Grace Nana Ama Oparah v National Investment Bank & 2ORS (SUIT No. LMISC 1 /2014) at the High Court , Kumasi and succeeded in collecting from her the said amount when he knew or ought to have known that the statutory fee was GH₵748.00 to be paid to HFC Bank Ltd at the High Court Registry at Kumasi, but nevertheless failed to pay same to the said bank as practice requires.
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, whosesoever.
The license of Mr. Hansen Kodwo Koduah to practice for the legal year is hereby withdrawn forthwith.
SGD
FOR: JUDICIAL SECRETARY AND SECRETARY TO THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL
DATED THIS 9TH DAY OF JUNE, 2016
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana