Court Dismisses Second Application To Force Achimota School To ‘Temporarily’ Admit Rasta Student

The Human Rights Court 1 Division of the High Court has dismissed the second injunction application filed by a Rastafarian student, Tyron Marhguy, against the Achimota School.

Marhguy was demanding that the school temporarily admits him pending the final determination of the substantive case about him being denied admission for having dreadlocks.

The court on Monday dismissed the same application filed by another Rastafarian, Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea, asking that he should be admitted pending the final determination of the substantive case.

Justice Gifty Addo in her ruling on Tuesday afternoon held that the application in its entirety touches on the substance of the substantive suit and would thus be pre-emptive.

She reasoned that the best course of action would be to expedite the trial in the best interest of Tyron’s education.

The case has since been adjourned to April 23, 2021, for hearing to commence.

Meanwhile, Teroeo Marhguy, father of Tyron said that although disappointed in the ruling, he believes that justice will be served him and his son in the end.

Students denied admission

Last month, it was reported that Achimota School had denied two Rastafarians admission to the school, although they had been placed there by the Ghana Education Service’s Computerized School Selection and Placement Service (CSSPS).

The school insisted that its regulation states that all students or potential students maintain a low haircut as a requirement for admission.

It therefore said the two Rastafarians must cut their dreadlocks if they want to be granted admission. The two students insisted and were consequently denied admission.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) subsequently ordered Achimota School to admit the students, but it made a U-turn on its stance.

The two Rastafarians subsequently went to court to challenge the position of Achimota School.