Tereo Marghuy, the father of one of the rastafarian boys whose entrance to Achimota School has sparked controversy, believes the school’s Old Students Association is behind the Attorney General’s appeal of a High Court verdict in their favor earlier this year.
While he is not surprised by the appeal, he finds it strange that the Attorney General’s office would pursue it despite admitting to the court’s decision.
Mr. Marghuy said the appeal is ill-motivated, especially as his son has already settled in the school environment, and has even been listed among the school’s candidates for the annual National Science and Maths Quiz in two years’ time.
“If they had filed the appeal shortly after the ruling, it would have made sense, but now he [Tyrone Marghuy] has been in the school and they have even added him to the squad for the National Maths and Science Quiz for the next two years… It is not really okay. I think there are some people behind the scenes who are not working in favour of the school,” he said.
In a notice of appeal sighted by Citi News, the Attorney General said the High court judge, Justice Gifty Agyei Addo, who had earlier ruled that the two Rastafarian boys, Tyrone Marhguy and Ohene Nkrabea be admitted to the school with their dreadlocks, erred.
According to the AG, the request by the school for the boys to cut their hair before being admitted was not a violation of their rights to education, as the judge averred.
The AG’s office said the trial judge also failed to appreciate the effect of placing the needed weight on the rules and regulations of Achimota School, which borders on the accepted hairstyles of students.
But speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Marghuy said he believes that majority of Ghanaians are behind them.
“I am not surprised because I realized along the line that they will appeal. That loss they had was something that they couldn’t take… How could a whole Attorney-General be in favour of the ruling and suddenly not be in favour of the ruling. I think it is something that is happening in the background, behind the scene, that makes them think they should go for the appeal. My suspicion is that, it is the old students behind the scenes [but]. I know most Ghanaians are in our favour,” he said.
Meanwhile, Child Rights International has vowed to fight the Attorney General’s office and the Achimota School, as the two have filed an appeal to overturn a high court ruling that ordered the school to admit the rastafarian boy with dreadlocks.
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