The General Legal Council (GLC) has suspended lawyer Kwasi Afrifa for 4 years.
The lawyer is accused of playing a ‘double agent’ by acting as a Counsel for different individuals in a litigation over a common property.
A statement issued by the GLC on Friday said lawyer Kwasi Afrifa was charged with two counts under Rule 5 (10) of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 1969 L.I. 613.
It said during the period of suspension, he must not hold himself out as a lawyer or attend Chambers during the period of the suspension.
The statement signed by Secretary to the Council, Justice Alex Poku-Acheampong said, the lawyer, “having previously acted as Counsel for one Dr. Emelia Timpo in a probate action involving her mother’s estate and assisted her in obtaining Letters of Administration in respect of the same estate, subsequently acted against her interest by representing her brother called Nana Kwamina Apreh Ackah in an action with Suit No.C12/230/14 over property which forms part of the said estate.
He was also changed on a second count of “having previously acted as counsel for one Kodwo Ackah, the legal owner of property No, 19A in a Civil Proceedings to evict his tenant at the Ashanti New Town Court, Kumasi, [subsequently brought an action on behalf of his brother, Nana Kwamina Apreh Ackah in an action with suit No.C12/230/14 over property which forms part of the said estate against the said Kodwo Ackah and Dr. Emelia Timpo.”
The statement added that “Lawyer Afrifa was also formally charged with a third count under Rule 9 (4) of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 1969 L.I. 613 that he; having previously acted as Counsel for one Kodwo Ackah of property No. 19A in civil proceedings to evict his tenant at the Ashanti New Town Court, Kumasi subsequently represented his siblings in a probate action involving their mother’s estate and included the said Kodwo Ackah’s property (aforesaid) in the inventory of the estate.”
The Council has effectively withdrawn his practicing licence until the expiration of the 4-year period.
Barely two months ago, the General Legal Council imposed a four-year ban on a human rights lawyer, Francis Xavier Sosu for advertising his services on Facebook and ‘overcharging’ a client.
The claimed by the lawyer had pleaded guilty to the charges but Mr. Sosu in an interview with Citi News denied the claims and initiated a court action to challenge the decision by the council.
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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana