Former Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini has described the decision by the General Legal Council (GLC) to expel State Attorney Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh from practising as a lawyer as harsh.

The State Attorney was expelled by the GLC for transferring an amount of GH¢400,000 from businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome in 2011.

In a notice dated January 31, 2024, the GLC said while defending the state against a suit by Alfred Woyome in 2011, Mr Nerquaye-Tetteh personally caused the direct transfer of an amount of GH¢400,000 from Mr Woyome to the bank account of his wife.

The Legal Council found his conduct unprofessional and barred him from legal practice. 

While condemning the act on JoyNews, Inusah Fuseini asserts that Mr Nerquaye-Tetteh was an industrious lawyer and therefore he was saddened to hear that he was involved in such misconduct.

“For it to happen to Nerquaye -Tetteh I am really very very sad. I have known Nerquaye-Tetteh, and I know he was hard-working and diligent but the legal profession too upholds professional conduct.

"It becomes gross professional misconduct if the prosecuting officer or an officer of the Attorney General's department or a lawyer for that matter is seen to be dealing in an unprofessional way with an accused person and so that is the worry,” he said.

The former legislator quizzed how the State Attorney could not defend himself on why he made the transfer. Nevertheless, Mr Fusieni opines the punishment was too harsh.

“I have tremendous sympathy for his inability to explain how GH¢400,000 of Woyome’s money, which money was acquired in a way that, he has questions to answer, which monies have been declared as monies belonging to the State found its way to Nerquaye's account. It is something that is troubling and bothers me.

• Read also: Chief State Attorney expelled from the bar for allegedly accepting GH¢400K from Woyome 

“He can appeal against the decision, especially the sentence, I mean to impose a lifetime ban on Nerquaye-Tetteh appears to me to be too harsh. That is my view.

"I think that he can appeal the sentence and see whether the General Legal Council can treat him more leniently than imposing a lifetime ban on him but to be honest with you, it is really troubling. 

He advised all legal practitioners to take cues from the Mr Nerquaye-Tetteh incident and desist from any such conduct which can tarnish their image.

“It goes for all lawyers including myself to beware that when dealing with clients particularly where you are serving the interest of another party. You should be wary of dealing with a party who is not your client.”