Lawyers of embattled university lecturers, Prof. Ransford Gyampo and Dr. Paul Butakor have described the punishment meted out to their clients as “too harsh and misleading”.
In a letter from Human Rights and Public Interest lawyer, Francis Xavier Sosu, to the authorities of University of Ghana, Legon, he questioned the decision of the institution to suspend the two lecturers in spite of their claim of innocence.
“Given the background of this case and the fact that our Clients have consistently denied the origin of the actions ex4 and have raised fundamental issues of natural justice among many others, we are of the firm view that the decision is quite harsh.
“The statement by the University creates a lot of doubts in the minds of people and to make it succinctly clear, Prof. Gyampo and Dr. Butakor were not found guilty of Sexual Misconduct or Sex for grades as was initially alleged by the BBC,” he noted.
He asserted that the allegations of the BBC against the two lecturers were false, and their unavailability to be cross-examined in the whole process undermines the integrity of the administrative proceedings.
He also bemoaned the decision of the university to subject the lecturers to training and annual assessment for five years, since the two were not found guilty of sexual misconduct.
The lawyer however asserted that, the lecturers have accepted the decision by the institution and will not further litigate the matter in court. He noted that their decision is in the interest of the university.
“However, our Clients accept the said decision and would respect it. Our Clients have made it clear to us that as senior members of the University, they do not want to further litigate this matter in court or have a protracted dispute over the issue.”
Source: Jonas Danquah || ghananewsonline.com.gh