MR. AKWASI OSEI - ADJEI vs. THE ATTORNEY- GENERAL AND THE DIRECTOR, BNI [2009]DLHC5688

Date	2009-08-11
Suit No.	SUIT NO.HRC 19/09
Citation No.	[2009]DLHC5688

JUSTICE UUTER P. DERY

GODFRED YEBOAH DAME FOR APPLICANT.

EBO BARTON ODRO (DEPUTY ATTORNEY-GENERAL) MR. E. AGBEMAVA AND

GIFTY SEKYI-BIA (STATE ATTORNEYS) WITH HIM FOR THE REPUBLIC.

[2009]DLHC5688
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >MR. AKWASI OSEI - ADJEI<o:p></o:p>(APPLICANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE ATTORNEY- GENERAL AND THE DIRECTOR, BNI<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT (HUMAN RIGHT DIVISION), ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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SUIT NO.HRC 19/09&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; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 11TH AUGUST, 2009<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>GODFRED
YEBOAH DAME FOR APPLICANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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</div>On
16th June 2009, the
applicant, Mr. Akwasi Osei – Adjei, the immediate past Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana, brought an
application to this court against the respondents, the Attorney-General and the
Director of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) seeking the following
reliefs:<o:p></o:p>i) a
declaration that the seizure of the applicant’s Republic of Ghana passport and
the continued detention of same by the BNI are a gross infringement on the
applicant’s fundamental human right to freedom of movement under the
Constitution, 1992;<o:p></o:p>ii) an
order directed at the BNI to release the applicant’s passport to him
unconditionally;<o:p></o:p>iii) an
order of prohibition directed at the Attorney-General and the Director, BNI
from any further abuse or curtailment of the applicant’s right to freedom of
movement;<o:p></o:p>iv) any
other order or orders as this court may seem meet.<o:p></o:p>The
applicant supported his application with a twenty-four paragraphs affidavit in
which he deposed to the facts he relies for his application.<o:p></o:p>On
8th July, 2009, one
Elikplim L. Agbemava of Abelempkpe, Accra, swore to an affidavit in opposition
to the applicant’s motion. At the hearing it was disclosed that the said
Elikplim L. Agbemava is indeed a State Attorney at the Attorney-General’s
office.<o:p></o:p>In
the said affidavit in opposition, the Director, BNI, raises a preliminary
objection to his being a party to the suit on stated grounds. I hereby
reproduce the relevant paragraphs of the affidavit which are paragraphs 11, 12
and 13.<o:p></o:p>“11. That
at the hearing of this application 2nd Respondent (BNI) would raise
a preliminary objection that he is not a proper party to this action on the
ground that under the Internal and External Security Agencies Act, Act 526, he
is not a legal entity to sue and or be sued.<o:p></o:p>12. That as
provided under the said Act 526, the Director is under a minister who exercises
supervisory authority over him. It is therefore misconceived to sue the
Director.<o:p></o:p>13. That
this action has been brought by Applicant herein to distract the Internal
Security Agency from acting in accordance with its mandate under the said Act
526 and to prevent the Agency from continuing with the investigation of
Applicant.” <o:p></o:p>I
would, therefore, first of all deal with this preliminary objection before
proceeding to deal with the real substance of the application.<o:p></o:p</main>