May 31 Judgement Day For Achimota Rasta Student Case

The Accra High Court has set May 31 to give its ruling in a suit filed by a Rastafarian student denied admission into Achimota School.

The court presided over by judge Gifty Agyei Addo made this known on Friday, May 14, after the court heard both parties in the matter.

Counsel for the Board of Governors of the Achimota School, Attorney General Godfred Dame, argued that the applicant had no cause of action.

According to him, nothing within the scope of his right to education and religion had been infringed upon, as suggested by the applicant.

Counsel for the rejected student, James Gawuga Nkrumah, on the other hand, insisted that his client’s rights had been denied.

He said there was no lawful basis for Achimota School to interfere with the applicant’s right to education based on his ‘rasta’. He manifests or expresses his constitutionally guaranteed right to religion and practice.

The suit filed by the father of one of the Rastafarian students on behalf of his son, Tyrone Marhguy, on March 31, sought to challenge the Achimota School for refusing to admit his son.

The applicant who filed the instant action before the Accra High Court wants an order directed at Achimota School to immediately admit or enrol the applicant to continue with his education unhindered.

The applicant is also seeking compensation for the “inconvenience, embarrassment, waste of time, and violation of his fundamental human right and freedom”.

Meanwhile, the court is preparing to hear another suit between Rastafarian Oheneba Nkrabea against the Achimota School, Attorney General, Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service.