From (L) EC Chair, Mrs Charlotte Osei and Mr Thaddeus Sory
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs Charlotte Osei and her lawyer Thaddeus Story have been awarded an amount of GHC 4,000 from lawyer Maxwell Opoku Agyeman.
Lawyer for Maxwell Opoku Agyeman withdrew an interlocutory injunction filed against Thaddeus Story for representing the EC Chair and that attracted a fine of GH 4,000.
[ads1]Lawyer Julius Opoku Agyei representing petitioners seeking the removal of the Electoral Commission Chairperson, Charlotte Osei has withdrawn his application challenging the legitimacy of lawyer Thaddeus Sory to represent both the EC and Mrs. Charlotte Osei as a person being the Chairperson of the EC.
Kasapa FM’s court correspondent, Daakyehene Ofosu Agyemang reported that Julius Opoku Agyei in his submission for withdrawal, said the withdrawal has become necessary because his client Maxwell Opoku Agyemang has caused another lawyer to enter appearance on his behalf in the same matter in a different court.
The presiding judge, Justice Ackaah- Boafo in his ruling said he was minded to grant the application because there was no rule that stops him from doing same. The application was thus granted.
Lawyer Thaddeus Sory’s application for cost of 50,000.00 cedis after the application was granted was rejected by the court and instead awarded cost of 4,000.00 cedis.
Background
In August 2017, Lawyer Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang, who was sued by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) for professional misconduct, asked the High Court to strike out the suit against him.
He, in the alternative, asked the court to grant an order of interlocutory injunction to restrain the lawyer for the EC Chair, Mrs Charlotte Osei, Mr Thaddeus Sory, and other lawyers from his law firm from further defending her.
An affidavit in support of the motion on notice deposed to by Mr Opoku-Agyemang said it was clear the petition was filed by staff of the EC and for that reason he could not be held for defamation.
It said the suit was initiated by Mrs Osei in her personal capacity and not on behalf of the EC.
The affidavit in support further noted that Mr Sory and his law firm, Sory@Law, were not competent to issue the writ of summons and the statement of claim as lawyer for Mrs Osei because they were conflicted.
“That Sory@Law is the law firm retained by the commission and Thaddeus Sory is the sole owner and head of chambers of Sory@Law,” the affidavit in support submitted.
Allegations
According to the affidavit in support, the allegations in the petition put the plaintiff in the performance of her duties at the EC and her personal interests against the interest of the EC and the Republic of Ghana.
The deponent argued that he was not responsible for the leakage and circulation of the petition in the media.
He further argued that Mr Sory had participated in meetings and was privy to happenings at the EC which he could use to prosecute the defamation suit against him (Mr Opoku-Agyemang).
Counsel said he would plead justification in the course of the hearing of the defamation suit against him, as well as the manner in which the services of Sory@Law was engaged and retained by the EC.
The applicant said the engagement of the services of Sory@Law was part of the dispute in the petition and for that reason it was imperative for the court to place an interlocutory injunction on the applicant.
Souce: kasapafmonline.com