REPUBLIC vs. INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE; EX PARTE AGBOTTAH [1974]DLHC2324

Date	1974-04-11
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1974]DLHC2324

ABBAN J.

KUDJAWU (AHIABOR WITH HIM) FOR THE APPLICANT.

N. M. C. DODOO CHIEF STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE RESPONDENT.

[1974]DLHC2324
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">REPUBLIC <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">vs. <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:#548DD4;mso-themecolor:text2;mso-themetint:
153">INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE; EX PARTE AGBOTTAH<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[1974] 1 GLR 404<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

DATE:
11 APRIL 1974.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

KUDJAWU
(AHIABOR WITH HIM) FOR THE APPLICANT.<o:p></o:p>

N. M. C.
DODOO, CHIEF STATE ATTORNEY, FOR THE RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

ABBAN J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF ABBAN J.<o:p></o:p>The
applicant is seeking an order of certiorari under Order 59, r. 2 of the Supreme
[High] Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 1954 (L.N. 140A). In his statement, filed
in support of the application, the applicant stated as follows:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“The
applicant desires leave to apply for an order of certiorari to remove into this
honourable court for the purpose of being quashed a summary dismissal order
dated 21 November 1973, issued by the Inspector-General of Police in his
capacity as a disciplinary authority. The said dismissal order purported to
dismiss the applicant from the Ghana Police Service.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>(The
emphasis is mine.)<o:p></o:p>Before 21
November 1973, the applicant was in the Ghana Police Service. He had been in
the said service for over 29 years, and at the time of his dismissal, he was
holding the post of a superintendent. It appears that following allegations of
impropriety made against the applicant, the applicant was summoned before the
Commission of Enquiry into Bribery and Corruption. Among other things, it was
alleged that the applicant and other high ranking police officers and one Madam
Aprometi had conspired together and exchanged 400 cartons of contraband “555”
cigarettes with locally made ones. After investigation by the said commission,
adverse findings were made against the applicant and some of the other
officers. The said commission of inquiry then recommended that the officers
involved, including the applicant, should be dismissed summarily from the
police service. The government, by paragraph 55 (b) of its White Paper No.
5/73, exhibit 1, accepted the said recommendation of the commission in the
following terms:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“55 (b)
That the following Police Officers should be dismissed summarily from the
Police Service because of their conduct in Madam Aprometi’s illegal transaction:-Superintendent
V. G. K. Agbottah,<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">Inspector
Trangott F. Awueyedu and Inspector K. A. Kuma.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
applicant is the Agbottah referred to in the recommendation; and on 21 November
1973, the Inspector-General of Police wrote to the applicant, informing the
applicant of his dismissal from the police service. The first paragraph of the
said letter, which is relevant to the application reads as follows:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“Following
the publication of the Third Interim Report of the Commission of Enquiry into
Bribery and Corruption, which among other things recommended your summary
dismissal from the Police Service for the improper manner in which you
conducted the case involving the smuggling into Ghana of 400 cartons of
contraband `555’ cigarettes by a Madam Aprometi, and consequent to Government’s
acceptance of the said recommendations, as contained in its White Paper W.P.
No. 5/73 published on Wednesday, 21 November 1973, you are hereby, on the
orders of the National Redemption Council, summarily dismissed from the Police
Service.”<o:p></o:p>