Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nana Oppong is facing serious allegations of bias and unprofessional conduct in the handling of a high-stakes land dispute involving notorious land guards. On Monday, October 14, Emmanuel Accolatse, now known as Emmanuel Afotey Kwei and popularly referred to as ‘Van Damme,’ along with two accomplices, was arrested for allegedly trespassing on a 70-acre parcel of land belonging to the Okangtsuru Family in Accra.
Reports suggest that ASP Oppong is allegedly attempting to thwart the prosecution of the offenders, claiming they were subjected to ill-treatment following their arrest. Instead, there are efforts to shift charges onto the victims of the trespass.
The arrests were made by a combined team of police officers and private security operatives from the Greater Accra Regional Police Command after receiving intelligence about the suspects. The operation, which involved an exchange of gunfire, was prompted by complaints from the chiefs, elders, and residents of Okangman near New Amanfro in the Adentan Municipality, who have been terrorized by land guards.
The suspects were initially held by the regional police, but efforts to prosecute them are reportedly being hindered, with ASP Oppong facing accusations of sympathizing with the land guards. The Okangtsuru Family is particularly concerned that failure to prosecute could embolden the land guards and lead to further lawlessness.
Last Friday, during a press conference, the head of the Okangtsuru Family, Nii Adjetey Okanshan, warned of potential violence if the government does not intervene. He stated that the youth in the area are prepared to confront the land guards if the authorities fail to uphold law and order.
The Okangtsuru Family has also called on the government, particularly the Boundary Commission and Lands Commission, to demarcate the disputed land borders between the La and Nungua stools to prevent further boundary conflicts. According to Nii Adjetey Okanshan, the family has been subjected to land guard harassment on their registered and certificated lands in New Amanfro, with developers and community members facing brutal attacks.
The family demands police protection and warns that continued inaction could lead to violent confrontations. Local communities, including Adenta, Ashale Botwe, and others, are uniting to demand boundary demarcations with Nungua to prevent further land grabs and the violence that often follows.
