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| Student accuses CHRAJ |
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| Posted on: 2008-Jun-26 Ghanaian Times |
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A third-year Bachelor of Arts student of the University of Ghana, Robert Ashiley, has taken on the Commission on Human Rights and Administration of Justice (CHRAJ), over what he termed "the uncooperative attitude as regards investigating a complaint he lodged with the Commission about his alleged "wrongful" expulsion from the university.”
He alleged that for about 13 months now, Kofi Akuffo, the case officer handling his complaint, has shown no zeal in investigating the case to establish whether or not he was wrongfully dismissed for an alleged examination malpractice.
"I petitioned the CHRAJ over a year ago and. I can authoritatively say that my file has been dormant on the desk of the case officer without any reasonable cause," he complained.
Narrating the circumstances leading to his expulsion from the university, Mr Ashiley, who is at the City Campus of the university told the Times that an examination malpractice was levelled against him by Mr George Akanlig-Pare, chief invigilator, during the 2005/2006 second semester examinations.
He admitted having flouted the university's rules and regulations regarding examination malpractices by mistakenly keeping a piece of rough work paper in his breast pocket during the examinations.
Consequently, he said, he was charged with carrying unauthorised written material to the examinations hall, contrary to regulation 10:7 (I) and to 10:7 (iii) of the university's examinations regulations.
Mr Ashiley said the academic board officially wrote and invited him to appear before a committee of inquiry constituted by the pro-vice chancellor to investigate the allegation levelled against him.
He said on October 23, 2006, he appeared before the committee with his written response but without any official notification on the outcome, the committee on March 27, 2007 caused a publication in a national daily with his photograph and an outright dismissal of which a friend informed him.
He alleged that he was neither communicated to officially nor was any notice posted on the Accra City Campus to that effect.
He said he however wrote all his papers for the second semester examinations because the principal at the City Campus was himself not aware of the expulsion.
Mr Ashiley said it was after he had petitioned that the CHRAJ before he was informed of his expulsion with effect from March 26, 2007 through a letter from the main campus.
He therefore wondered how he could be dismissed on March 26 but admitted to write the end of semester examinations on May 17, 2007.
He also wondered how he had his results released to him and also a bill to register for Level 400 which he declined because of the uncertainties.
Mr Ashiley stated that as far as the handbook on examination malpractices of the university is concerned, only the results in the subject in which the malpractice was alleged, should be cancelled but not an outright dismissal.
He therefore argued that the university acted beyond its powers by using excessive powers and appealed to the CHRAJ to expedite the investigations to enable the university to reinstate him to continue with his academic career.
He said though the case officer always assured him that he was working on the case, "I can hardly find him in the office. He is either not in the office or said to be on casual leave.”
When contacted, the Acting Commissioner of CHRAJ, Anna Bossman, said the case officer was currently out of the country.
She, however, assured the petitioner that once the case was brought to her attention and his file traced, the commission would act on it promptly.
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