The New Ghana Social Justice Forum has petitioned the General Legal Council (GLC) to revoke the license of Lawyer William Kusi, describing his public remark referring to Mrs. Priscilla Ofori, popularly known as ‘Odo Broni,’ as a ‘slay queen’ as morally reprehensible and professionally indefensible.
The Forum expressed outrage over what it termed heinous misconduct and ethical violation by Lawyer Kusi, stressing that his comments about the grieving widow, whose husband’s death remains under public scrutiny, had brought the legal profession into serious disrepute.
“Our organisation takes no interest in any ongoing legal dispute between the parties involved. Our concern lies squarely with the unprofessional conduct displayed by Lawyer Kusi, who publicly referred to a bereaved woman as a ‘slay queen,’” the petition stated.
The Forum argued that the lawyer’s comments constituted a verbal assault against a woman in grief and a flagrant affront to womanhood, empathy, and human dignity.
“When a lawyer speaks, the weight of their words carries the moral authority of the legal profession. Therefore, when indecent and derogatory remarks such as ‘slay queen’ are made publicly by a legal practitioner, it is not merely a private misjudgment, it is an institutional embarrassment that undermines public confidence in the Bar and the justice system as a whole,” the statement continued.
The Forum, led by its president, Yahaya Alhassan, is urging the GLC to initiate immediate disciplinary proceedings against the lawyer and consider revoking his license to practise law.
“Failure by the Council to act decisively in this matter would, in our respectful view, amount to a betrayal of the ethical standards established in Amarfio v. General Legal Council [1991] 2 GLR 479,” the petition warned. “Should the Council fail to act in accordance with precedent, our organisation will have no choice but to seek legal remedies to compel enforcement of the Council’s statutory and disciplinary obligations.”
The group also called on the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to publicly condemn the conduct of Lawyer Kusi and distance the Association from his statements.
“Silence, in this instance, would be deeply unfortunate and could easily be interpreted as tacit approval or complicity in the face of misconduct,” the Forum added.
Comparing Lawyer Kusi’s approach with that of another legal practitioner, the petition noted, “While Lawyer Anokye Frimpong has used the ongoing public interest case to promote civic education and legal awareness about marriage laws, Lawyer Kusi has instead chosen to exploit the tragedy of a bereaved woman for public ridicule.”
Mr. Alhassan emphasized that the petition forms part of the Forum’s broader advocacy for women’s rights and dignity. “This current petition is a continuation of our mission to uphold justice, integrity, and respect for womanhood in every sphere of public life,” he stated.
The Forum previously made headlines in 2024 when it petitioned French authorities to suspend musician Sarkodie’s performance at the Paris Olympic Games over his controversial “Try Me” song, which it said demeaned actress Yvonne Nelson.
Mr. Alhassan appealed to the Legal Council to make a bold and historic statement that would set a generational precedent for ethical discipline, professional accountability, and gender respect within Ghana’s legal system.
“Your decisive action today will not only protect the sanctity of the legal profession but will also send a resounding message that the Ghanaian justice system stands firmly on the side of empathy, dignity, and equality,” the petition stated.