Elorm Ababio, the law student who was prohibited from being called to the bar in 2022, has responded to Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo’s recent justification for the decision made by the General Legal Council in November 2022
Ms. Ababio, also known as Ama Governor, despite successfully passing all required examinations, was denied her call to the Bar following a petition filed against her conduct by one Hajia Siduri. This led to the General Legal Council (GLC) deciding to suspend her Call to the Bar.
During an event in Accra on July 31, Chief Justice Torkornoo expressed surprise at the public outrage that followed the GLC’s decision.
In response to the CJ’s justification, Ama Governor retweeted a video and posted a detailed reply, describing the ongoing reference to her case as “cruel.” She firmly stated that she had been a victim of character assassination and the spread of false information.
“With all due respect, I am still waiting to be informed of any improper conduct on my part from 6th Nov 2022 until the present date. I cannot bear this tarnishing of my image and the dissemination of false information about the true sequence of events that occurred any longer. This is undeniably cruel,” her initial tweet expressed.
What the CJ said in Accra
“When somebody has behaved in a certain way and we say we cannot call the person to the bar, I was surprised at the furore that rose up concerning the call to the bar of certain people and I thought, like seriously?
“This is proper conduct for the legal sector? That is interesting. So, for you to come into the space of the legal sector, your conduct cannot be obscene and offensive and you expect to be admitted, it doesn’t work like that. Your comments on social media, your ex parte communication for judge is extremely critical,” she cautioned.
Ms. Ababio’s full response:
Imagine this: 5th November I get the final result in- my bar exam result, and I’m index number 1 so number was first, I had passed. I was rejoicing and thinking about preparations towards my call on the 11th of Nov, 6 days away.
Only to be hit out of nowhere on 6th November with a letter from the regulators of the legal profession in Ghana, General Legal Council, that a concerned citizen of the Republic of Ghana has petitioned them on 3rd November that only me, Elorm Ama Governor-Ababio, I am not fit to be called to the bar and so on that basis ALONE, my Call to the bar has been suspended and that they’ll get back to me about further details (no date given).
Was it fair to use section 3 like this? All the time they thought I was not fit, they waited till my bar results came out and I had only 6 days to my call. Tell me.
Now, this powerful yet vexatious petition will upset you for various reasons. TW. 1. The petitioner stated three grounds upon which they believed that I was not fit to be a lawyer.
Two of them were complete fabrications which interestingly enough were rebutted by the very videos the petitioner attached to a pen drive on which they relied. Can you imagine? The two fallacious grounds were that, I can be seen in a widely circulated video with other GSL students tarnishing the schools reputation. Ei. They were referencing this video:
A video my classmates and I made for all persons outside the legal so where who want to become a part of us. You can go watch the video and read the comments for better understanding. This petitioner lied that because we were sharing that even us law students sleep in class when we’re tired sometimes, that we were damaging the schools reputation.
Can you imagine?! Secondly they lied that I can be seen in multiple videos consistently wearing my nose rings to school. First of all, contrary to this lie, even the videos they attached on the pen drive shows that my law school videos cover videos where I show how I comply with the ‘what is expected of law students in the GSL’, not that there even were express school rules against it, but just to be on the safe side; taking my nose ring out and inverting my septum, wearing those ugly shoes and loose black and white for 2 years. Never a conflict with any one in school. Only for someone who doesn’t know me to challenge my moral compass and singer-handedly and maliciously change the trajectory of my life. How did we get here?
The third ground which was not challenged as a lie was that I am queer and that I sleep with women. We argued that while that was blissful fact, it was not a ground on which I should be deemed unfit to be called to the bar. Simple. And guess what?!
This obviously frivolous petition that should not have passed the prima facie test, but which managed to stop my life, was thrown out in the very first hearing within 15 minutes.
They just said they have read our written submission and agree with us whole heartedly and so they do not wish to address me on anything in the petition. And yet since 6th November,2022, my name continues to be dragged in the most undignified ways. I hear in law classes, I am used as a bad example of people unworthy of the Ghana Bar.
When people like the Honourable CJ also talks about you like this,… I’m sorry but I do not recognize the person you are attempting to describe me as. Me? Immoral? Unfit?
Misconducting myself how? There’s not a single content I have put out on this internet that I will not boldly account for, not one, & still I think I am very fit to be called.
