Lawyer Sosu and Justice Sophia Akufo
[dropcap]G[/dropcap]hana’s celebrated human rights lawyer, Mr. Francis-Xavier Sosu who also contested on the NDC Parliamentary ticket for the Madina Constituency, has been barred from practicing law for four years in Ghana.
The fast rising lawyer was handed the ban over two issues, including alleged swindling of a client which attracted a one-year ban and advertising cases he had won on social media, which also attracted a three-year ban by the General Legal Council (GLC). The Committee of [ads1]the GLC was chaired by Justice Sophia Akufo (incoming Chief Justice of Ghana) last Thursday after it had found him guilty of an alleged professional misconduct contrary to the code regulating legal practice in the country.
According to reports, Francis Agyare who was a client of Lawyer Sosu filed a complaint at the Council accusing Mr. Sosu and his law firm, F-X Law & Associates, of attempting to swindle him.
The lawyer represented him in a compensation claim after the release of the complainant from jail, for unlawful detention for 14 years without trial.
A source close to the famous Lawyer who spoke to Awake News stated that, Mr. Francis Agyare had a contractual agreement with Mr. Sosu to pay 25% of any compensation that he will be awarded if Lawyer won the case. According to the contract, Lawyer Sosu had to pay for all legal fees and Mr. Agyare’s upkeep until the judgement was passed.
However, Mr. Agyare had concerns about Lawyer Sosu’s 25% service fee on the Ghc200,000.00 that the court awarded to him.
According to sources, Lawyer Sosu asked Mr. Agyare to keep his 25% share since the payment was creating a misunderstanding between him and his client.
According to the source, Mr. Agyare later apologized to Lawyer Sosu and paid the money into Lawyer Sosu’s account.
After the payment, Mr. Agyare then filed a case at the GLC accusing Lawyer Sosu of attempting to swindle him. During the hearing, the Council demanded that Lawyer Sosu refunds GHc20,000 of the Gh50,000 he was paid on the basis that Mr. Agyare had engaged the services of Lawyer Sosu pro bono.
The Council also reached a decision to ban the lawyer for another three years for advertising himself on social media in respect of his recent cases involving Patrick Reynolds who was paralyzed by a fallen billboard at flower pot believed to belong to M. DEX Advertising Company, and his human rights action against the Attorney General, Chief of Defense Staff and another.
