Prior to the examination, the students had petitioned the Council over a ruling by the Supreme Court which declared the examination and interview requirements as illegal, but the Council rejected their petition.

[contextly_sidebar id=”bkbTg1VbbtbN6RaWU7L2kpYxpqbKDymN”]Speaking to Citi News, the spokesperson of the group, Ken Donkoh, said they will within the next few days seek legal interpretation of the earlier ruling on the matter.

“We will be going to court to seek interpretation of the orders that were given by the Supreme Court. Among them is the consequential orders that were given, and the consequential orders to us was very clear. It was not directing the General Legal Council to engage in any act such as conducting of examination and interview which will form the basis of disqualifying any student,” he said.

He argued that, “it was wrong for us to be directed to take part in a conduct that the Supreme Court of Ghana has declared as unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional.”

Background

797 students failed the entrance exam, which was contentious, to begin with.

Prior to the examination, the students had petitioned the Council over a ruling by the Supreme Court which declared the examination and interview requirements as illegal, but the Council rejected their petition.

The Supreme Court in June declared as unconstitutional the entrance exams and interview session, before admitting new students into the Ghana Law School.

According to the court, in a case brought before it by Professor Kwaku Asare, a United States-based Ghanaian lawyer in 2015, the requirements were in violation of the Legislative Instrument 1296 which gives direction for the mode of admission.

The affected group under the umbrella name, Concerned Law Students, reiterated the Apex Court’s judgment saying “it will be a travesty of justice to still require qualified applicants to pass an entrance examination and subsequent interview in order to be admitted into the Ghana School of Law.”

The group, in a statement, has now challenged the General Legal Council to release the raw scores of every candidate as they say it is unthinkable for 797 candidates to fail.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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A group of law graduates calling themselves the Concerned LLB Graduates had gone to the court to seek an injunction to stop the exams scheduled for July 14, 2017.

This was after the General Legal Council declared that it would hold the exams for the prospective students despite a petition by the group to scrap it.

The group said it decided to pursue the matter in court to seek clarity and also get the Council to cancel the examination.

According to the presiding judge, Justice Anthony Yeboah the applicants failed to demonstrate that there would be an irreparable damage if the examination is allowed to take place on Friday.

He further added that the judgment of the Supreme Court declaring as unconstitutional the entrance exam was conditional as it temporarily suspended its implementation till six months time.

The Concerned LLB Graduates group in its writ prayed the court to declare that “the admission criteria imposed by the Council in terms of an entrance examination and an interview for admission into the Ghana School of Law since 2015 contravene the provisions of Act 32 and L.I. 1296.”

The group had also wanted an order from the court to compel the Council allow automatic admission into the Ghana School of Law since to it the policy infringes on the fundamental human rights of students.

“A further declaration that plaintiffs and persons with the requisite qualification in terms of law (i.e. Act 32 and L.I. 1296) automatically qualify for admission into the Ghana School of Law. An order of court setting aside the unlawful criteria complained off as illegal and unconstitutional and an infringement upon the plaintiff’s fundamental human rights enshrined in the 199 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.”

Supreme Court order

The High Court’s ruling comes on the back of a judgement by the Supreme Court on June 22, 2017 which declared as unconstitutional the entrance exams and interview session before admitting new students into the Ghana Law School.

According to the court, in a case brought before it by Professor Kwaku Asare, a United States-based Ghanaian lawyer, in 2015, the requirements were in violation of the Legislative Instrument 1296 which gives direction for the mode of admission.

The Justices in delivering their judgment, also indicated that their order should not take retrospective effect, but should be implemented in six months, when admissions for the 2018 academic year begins.

This prompted the group to call on the General Legal Council to scrap the exams and the interview.

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By: Fred Djabanor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Court throws out injunction against law school entrance exam appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The General Legal Council (GLC) has vowed to organize the exams on July 14, 2017, and continue with the interview despite a plea from the group, which was premised on the Supreme Court judgement that declared the process as illegal.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ov3PjtF8UQteLZk4syZtX07PAx0DOgPV”]The GLC in its response to a petition from the group, said “the Council decided that in line with the terms of the judgment in the above mentioned case, the law school entrance examination scheduled for Friday July 14th would take place as planned.”

“Your petition, which includes among other thigns a request for automatic admission to the Ghana School of Law, is therefore declined,” the GLC said last Friday.

The Concerned LLB Graduates group in its writ prayed the court to declare that “the admission criteria imposed by the Council in terms of an entrance examination and an interview for admission into the Ghana School of Law since 2015 contravene the provisions of Act 32 and L.I. 1296.”

The group also wants an order from the court to compel the Council allow automatic admission into the Ghana School of Law since to it the policy infringes on the fundamental human rights of students.

“A further declaration that plaintiffs and persons with the requisite qualification in terms of law (i.e. Act 32 and L.I. 1296) automatically qualify for admission into the Ghana School of Law. An order of court setting aside the unlawful criteria complained off as illegal and unconstitutional and an infringement upon the plaintiff’s fundamental human rights enshrined in the 199 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.”

“A declaration that allowing the defendant-council to administer the entrance examination on Friday, 14th July, 2017 would amount to a grant of immunity from the consequences of breaching sections 13 and 14 of the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32), Regulations 2 and 3 of the Professional Law Course Regulations, 1984 (L.I. 1296) and articles 11(7), 23, 296 (a) and (b) and 2987 (b) of the 1992 Constitution,” the writ added.

Background

The Supreme Court on  June 22, 2017 declared as unconstitutional the entrance exams and interview session before admitting new students into the Ghana Law School.

According to the court, in a case brought before it by Professor Kwaku Asare, a United States-based Ghanaian lawyer, in 2015, the requirements were in violation of the Legislative Instrument 1296 which gives direction for the mode of admission.

The Justices in delivering their judgment, also indicated that their order should not take retrospective effect, but should be implemented in six months, when admissions for the 2018 academic year begins.

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post LLB Graduates file for injunction on July 14 entrance exams appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The law degree holders earlier petitioned the GLC to facilitate automatic admissions into the Law School by scraping this year’s entrance exams slated for July 14, 2017.

[contextly_sidebar id=”9OoO9ax4gBmtEwhuhDyjNVLdSXvAMArc”]According to the group the exams will amount to an illegality after the Supreme Court judgment on the matter.

But Ghana Law School in its response letter said after an emergency meeting held on July 6, 2017 “the Council decided that in line with the terms of the judgment in the above mentioned case, the law school entrance examination scheduled for Friday July 14th would take place as planned.”

“Your petition, which includes among other thigns a request for automatic admission to the Ghana School of Law, is therefore declined,” the letter signed by the Secretary of the General Legal Council, Justice Alex B. Poku-Acheampong added.

The spokesperson of the Concerned LLB Graduates, Naomi Nana Sam, said their leaders will meet soon to decide on the next line of action.

“I am very much disappointed because what I’m thought in school is different from what is happening right now. If we decide not to take part in the exams, what happens to us? Is the constitution really supreme or is the General Legal Council supreme? The constitution is always the supreme law of the land. As law students, if this is what the law requires of us, we have nothing to do. On the next move, leadership is about to meet and we will decide what to do next,” she added.

Background

The Supreme Court on  June 22, 2017 declared as unconstitutional the entrance exams and interview session before admitting new students into the Ghana Law School.

According to the court, in a case brought before it by Professor Kwaku Asare, a United States-based Ghanaian lawyer, in 2015, the requirements were in violation of the Legislative Instrument 1296 which gives direction for the mode of admission.

The Justices in delivering their judgment, also indicated that their order should not take retrospective effect, but should be implemented in six months, when admissions for the 2018 academic year begins.

The Concerned LLB Graduates group had earlier threatened to go to court if its request was turned down but it is currently unclear whether it would carry out the threat.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post LLB graduates unhappy over July 14 Law School entrance exams appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A group of law degree holders calling themselves Concerned LLB Graduates earlier petitioned the General Legal Council to facilitate automatic admissions into the Law School by scraping this year’s entrance exams slated for July 14, 2017.

According to the group the exams will amount to an illegality after the Supreme Court judgment on the matter.

[contextly_sidebar id=”oElSfsiw3ZL25IyMNobqxSHdeRiDdep5″]But the Council in its response letter sighted by Citi News said the Council after an emergency meeting held on July 6, 2017 “decided that in line with the terms of the judgment in the above mentioned case, the law school entrance examination scheduled for Friday July 14th would take place as planned.”

“Your petition, which includes among other things a request for automatic admission to the Ghana School of Law, is therefore declined,” the letter signed by the Secretary of the General Legal Council, Justice Alex B. Poku-Acheampong added.

Supreme Court order

The Supreme Court on  June 22, 2017 declared as unconstitutional the entrance exams and interview session before admitting new students into the Ghana Law School.

According to the court, in a case brought before it by Professor Kwaku Asare, a United States-based Ghanaian lawyer, in 2015, the requirements were in violation of the Legislative Instrument 1296 which gives direction for the mode of admission.

The Justices in delivering their judgment, also indicated that their order should not take retrospective effect, but should be implemented in six months, when admissions for the 2018 academic year begins.

Meanwhile, the Concerned LLB Graduates in the petition threatened to go to court if their request is turned down.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post We won’t cancel July 14 entrance exams – General Legal Council appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the group made up of LLB graduates from different law faculties in the country, the exams will amount to an illegality after the Supreme Court judgment on the matter.

Briefing the media on the petition, spokesperson for the group Naomi Nana Sam said they can’t be deprived of their legitimate right through an illegal process.

“We hereby petition the General Legal Council for a pronouncement on an indication regarding the decision already referred to, to grant us automatic admission into the Ghana School of Law. That your humble petitioners feeling aggrieved by some pronouncement of the Supreme Court in the Asare case thus seek the intervention of the General Legal Council as to the way forward.”

“We make an order in terms of relief one of the writs of summons that the General Legal Council’s imposition of an entrance examination and an interview requirement for the professional law course violates Articles 11(7), 297 (d), 23, 296(a) and (b) of the 1992 constituency,” Naomi added.

The Supreme Court on Thursday declared as unconstitutional the requirement by the General Legal Council asking applicants to the Ghana Law School to undertake an examination and subsequent interview before admission.

According to the court, in a case brought before it by Professor Kwaku Asare, a United States-based Ghanaian lawyer, in 2015, the requirements were in violation of the Legislative Instrument 1296 which gives direction for the mode of admission.

The Concerned LLB Graduates have also vowed to go to court if their petition is ignored.

A member of the petitioners, Godfred Tessu said “we know that the constitution is supreme and as such, just as the Supreme Court has indicated that the exams and the interview are unconstitutional.”

“I believe that all the stakeholders are aware that we cannot go against the constitution per article 1(2) of the constitution. Anything that is not in agreement with the constitution is void from start. Notwithstanding that, we believe that there are other avenues that are open to us by going to court and asking for a review and also placing an injunction on the exams. That is also our constitutional right that we can pursue,” he added.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey & Anas Seidu/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post Cancel July 14 entrance exams – Group petitions General Legal Council appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.