Odorgonor Headmaster Cleared Of Rape

The Human Rights Court yesterday ordered Ghana Education Service (GES) to re-instate the Assistant Headmaster of Odorgonor, Lawrence Korley, who was interdicted unlawfully after he was accused of raping an American volunteer teacher. The court presided over by Justice Essel Mensah indicated that the decision of GES to interdict Mr. Korley was an illegal punitive as he was not given an internal hearing to state his side of the matter before arriving at the decision. In view of this, the court has ordered that he should be re-instated and be paid his full salary and benefits. In addition, the court awarded GH�4,000 cost of damages against GES. Anthony Boateng, the lawyer for GES, after the ruling, indicated that he would advise his client appropriately about the court�s decision. Mr. Korley, who was represented by K. Amoah Jnr, was arrested sometime in July after the volunteer, Artisi Windom, who had been posted to the school, accused him of raping her. Following the allegation, GES interdicted him and paid him half salary. Mr. Korley, who was freed by court on a charge of rape, decided to seek redress at the Human Rights Court. It is his case that GES did not follow due processes which included giving him an internal hearing before interdicting him. This, to him, was contrary to the code of professional conduct. According to him, the action of GES was not only illegal but also based on mere allegation. He explained that he was not under any criminal charge anywhere, therefore GES could not have taken that decision without following the proper procedure. He therefore prayed the court to declare their decision as null and void and subsequently restore him to his normal position, with an order for GES to pay him his full salary and benefits.