It is alleged that the government, via the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General, spent about GHC85,000 in the legal case between Achimota School and Tyrone Iras Marhguy, Oheneba Nkrabea; two Rastafarian students over admission to the institution.
Tyrone Iras Marhguy and Oheneba Nkrabea were denied admission by Achimota School in 2021 due to his dreadlocks. The denial of admission led to a court intervention in May 2021.
An Accra High Court delivered its ruling on Monday, May 31, 2021. Justice Gifty Adjei Addo, the Presiding Judge, disagreed with the submissions of the Attorney General and granted all the reliefs separately sought by the embattled students except the relief of compensation in the case of Tyrone Marhguy.
According to Justice Addo, it was preposterous for the Attorney General to have even suggested that the two were not students in the first place. Justice Gifty Adjei Addo consequently directed Achimota School to admit the two Rastafarian students.
But Achimota School and the Attorney-General’s office filed an appeal challenging the High Court’s order for the school to admit dreadlock-wearing student, Tyrone Marhguy.
According to the school, the court among others erred by indicating that the rules and regulations of Achimota School with regard to ensuring uniformity in appearance is unlawful and interferes with the manifestation of one’s religious rights.
The court dismissed the appeal, and three years down the line, Tyrone Iras Marhguy has completed his secondary education at Achimota School with flying colours.
Tyrone secured the highest grade possible, an A1, in all eight subjects he studied as a General Science student in the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Reacting to this news, X user, StatsGH revealed that “A law firm’s accountant estimated that Gov’t must have spent around GHS85,000 fighting the Achimota Rasta student case.”
Tyrone ‘s success was shared on X by a former aide to the NDC 2024 flagbearer, John Mahama, Felix Kwakye Ofosu.