The University of Ghana, Legon has been slapped with a fine for withholding academic transcript and certificate of its student. The school has been ordered to pay Gh¢ 3,000 whiles the court takes it final judgement on the damages.
The student was served with a notice to vacate his hall of residence (Commonwealth Hall) within 72hrs.
The case was sent to court this year, march 2018.
The statement of claim by Plaintiff:
1. A declaration that the purported expulsion of the plaintiff from his hall of residence ( commonwealth Hall) and the consequential tagging and witholding of his examination results ( transcripts) and certificate without being given a hearing is in disregard for the principles of natural justice; and a breach of his fundamental human right to a fair hearing.
2. An order setting aside the Defendant’s expulsion decision and its consequential tagging and withholding of plaintiff’s examination results ( transcripts) and certificate as same was done in blatant disregard for the principles of natural justice; and a breach of plaintiff’s fundamental human right to a fair hearing.
3. Damages for the violation of plaintiff’s fundamental human right.
4. Any other (s) as to this honourable court may seem fit.
The student through his lawyer, Nana Akwasi Osei Bonsu issued notice of hearing to be held last Thursday , November 1, 2018.
Without any defend to the writ issued in march the lawyers of the University refused to appear.
After the judge going through all the document pronounce his judgement.
Background
On march 2016 Mr. Collins Owusu Sekyere received an expulsion letter from his hall (commonwealth) asking him to leave the hall within 72hrs.
Portion of the letter reads; It has been established that you were part of the organizers of Minimpim; a program organised for the residents of the hall every year.
Mr. Collins was then asked to vacate the hall.
He wrote various letters to state his side of the story which makes him innocent.
In one of his letters he stated he was at the school’s hospital when the said program was organised.
Mr. Collins was denied of 2016 graduation. Hoping to get better response nothing was said till he finally sent the issue to court.
The school through its lawyer, objected to the writ of summon with these reasons;
1. The issue brought before the court is out of time.
2. The student didn’t extort all the avenues at the school.
3. The procedure of the case to court was wrong.
In October, Human Right Court, two headed by Justice Gifty Agyei Addo, ruled in favour of the student that the case should be continued.
The human right court one headed by His Lordship Abodakpi ordered last thursday (1/11/2018) that the above reliefs be given to the plaintiff as the University failed to defend the 18 claims that was sent to the court on march this year.