One of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) financier, Mr. Oti Bonsu has expressed disappointment and worried about how power has made some people to misbehave towards fellow being.
“This is what power can do. We are not save in Ghana if someone can wake up early in the morning with security and military personnel to go and embarked on demolishing exercise, then we have a long way to go. I did all the necessary follow up but nobody talked about it”.
Mr. Bonsu made this pronouncement at a press conference organized to express his view on the demolishing of his buildings by what he alleged as, the Brother of Second Lady, Mr. Abu Ramadan to the cost of 600 million Ghana Cedis.
Mr. Oti Bonsu in his explanation averred that, all efforts were made to seek for amicable solution through former President John Agyekum Kuffourās, when he get to know that the Second Lady, Samira Bawumia, was the one claiming ownership of his land.
“I even went as far as going to former President Kuffour who sent Mr. Fred Oware to do a follow up. Fred Oware called Abu Ramadan but he told him that, it was his Father who during the time he was in the Police Service bought the land so, he would demolished the houses on the land and build a family house. I even suggested that then, they should count the people in the family and share the rooms according to the rooms”.
According to him, he even sent someone to the Brother of Second Lady in the person of Abu Ramadan that, even though, he is a legitimate owner of the land, they can still take charge of the houses already built and used it for the family house but, he took the law into his hands and went ahead to demolish the houses.
Mr. Benjamin Danso the spokesperson for Mr. Oti Bonsu in his address at the press conference revealed that, they possess evidence demonstrating that the court did not authorize the demolition, as Hajia’s team was duly informed of pending motions in court.
The Demolition he stated, was executed with excessive force, including police and military presence, forcibly entering the property, confiscating phones, assaulting individuals, and preventing residents from calling the police at around 1:00 am Sunday 7th April 2024.
“The unauthorized demolition underscores an abuse of power. The time and day of the enforcement of the possession order itself smacks illegality. If they knew they had a genuine right to possess the land, why come at dawn with policemen with no tags on and also vehicles that had their number plates removed”.
He called on all state agencies to investigate the above demolition exercise since one Charles Edem Agudogo (Lawful attorney for Hajia Aisha Ahmed), said on radio, specifically Asempa fmās Ekosiisen show on the 8″ of April 2024 that, he was part of the individuals who carried out the demolition.
The involvement of individuals in police and military uniforms with Abu Ramadan’s team he mentioned, raises concerns about rogue elements operating outside official channels.
“If the police did not join in the possession, which individuals in police and military uniforms joined Abu Ramadans Demolition team to the premises. Does it mean individuals have their own police and military men who openly defy the orders of the IGP and CDS? Are we safe in a country where any individual can run his own police and military. Is the Ghana Police service saying that all street cameras from Adjiringanor to the Jubilee House are not functional? It is surprising that national security hasn’t begun investigation into this. Because this is how it starts if not contained it could lead to something more disastrous.
This time they could mobilise 30 men to demolish buildings maybe next time they would be emboldened to mobilise more men to cause more mayhem in this country. We are all aware of rebel and terrorist activities in the sub region”.
Mr. George Oti Bonsu, a strong NPP financier is said to have acquired the land in question in 1992 from the Anorkwei and Tuaka families of Teshie. Subsequently, the Akwraboye Doku family obtained a Supreme Court judgment, which Mr. Bonsu duly atoned tenancy. However, litigation still ensued when Winchester Empire contested ownership in the High Court Tema.
The land in question was also under litigation at the Accra High Court, amidst the legal proceedings. One Hajia filed a case at the Adenta Circuit Court and applied for an injunction to prevent Mr Bonsu from proceeding with his construction.
Mr Bonsuās lawyer entered a conditional appearance in the Adenta circuit court case and notified the court that the ownership of the same land was in dispute in a superior high court.
The high court in Tema ruled that having given Mr Bonsu permission to proceed with construction, a lower court cannot vary that decision. So Mr Bonsu proceeded with construction as the court directed him. The case on the same land at the Accra High court against Mr Bonsu was dismissed and all parties were advised to join the case at Tema.
Hajia secured judgement in her favour at the circuit court when all those involved in the litigation were at the Tema High Court.
Hajiaās documents on the said land were purported to have been given to her from two sources. 1. The Okpong We family 2. Ibrahim Brobase company ( Ibrahim Gyagya)The Okpong We family affirms that at the time of Hajia’s purported purchase, a court injunction prevented land sale due to family head issues. Furthermore, the document presented by Hajia contains forged signatures and pertains to land outside the Okpong We family’s jurisdiction. One Sarah Forkuo alias Maame (Gyagyaās former wife and Osamapas daughter) said she sold the land directly to 2ā¢ļø lady Samira Bawumia through Ibrahim Gyagyas company. At the time of this sale Ibrahim Gyagya and his company had no right to sell lands for the Okpong We family and as said earlier Okpong We family land falls outside the jurisdiction.
However, at the press conference include, all the 3 families that owes the land in question to support Mr. Oti Bonsu as the rightful owner.
