The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has summoned one of his subchiefs, Kwaprahene Baffour Adugyemfu Kumani, to appear before him in two weeks or consider himself sacked.
At an October 20, 2023 sitting of his Council, the overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom said the subchief must present himself without fail to answer charges of double sale of lands and violation of The Great Asante Oath (Otumfuo Ntamkese).
Some media outlets have stated that the final date to appear will fall on Friday November 3, 2023 and that the accused chief must appear through the Akwamu division.
In a video shared by Opemsuo radio, a channel affiliated to Manhyia, a visibly angry Otumfuo states: “Kwaprahene knows why I’m looking for him. He knows I’m looking for him because of the land issue. That’s why he is dodging me with the excuse of sickness, he thinks he is smarter.
“Go and bring him. I will not take any excuse from him. When he was young he sold my land without giving me my money. I forgave him, you see the issue has returned to me’’ he stated.
On the deadline, the monarch stressed: “In two weeks, if he doesn’t show up, he should abdicate the throne and all the elders under him are also summarily sacked. Just two weeks, whatever his condition is, he should show up.
“And you the elders too, I have always cautioned you against his excesses and that you should caution him to change his ways (but you have failed),” he added.
Starr FM report on looming destoolment
The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, summoned the Kwaprahene over double sale of lands and violation of Asante Great Oath (Otumfuo Ntamkese).
Baffour Adugyemfu Kumani years ago sold four plots of land to a man at Kwaprah where he serves as Chief.
The young man, after securing all the documents covering the four (4) plots, travelled to Australia and spent a few years over there.
When he returned Nana Kwaprahene claimed two plots out of the four because he was developing the lands and gave him new documents on two plots.
Later the Chief sued the man in court and claimed the remaining two plots compelling the man to summon the chief before Asokoremanhene.
Upon fair hearing of the two Asokorehene instructed Kwaprahene to revert the lands back to the man which he declined.
Baffour Adugyemfu Kumani then sold the two plots to another private estate developer for an estate project.
The land owner invoked Asantehene’s great oath (Otumfuo Ntam kese) on the private developer to pack off from the land, Kwaprahene allegedly instructed the estate developer to disregard the oath and go ahead to develop the land.
The development provoked the man to file a formal traditional complaint against Kwaprahene during the Kumasi traditional council meeting which was chaired by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on Friday 20th October 2023 in Manhyia Palace.
A member of the Akwamu division who spoke on condition of anonymity to EIB’s Ashanti regional correspondent Isaac justice Bediako disclosed the chief most likely be destooled.
“We have carefully analyzed his case; no Chief in the Palace will plead on his behalf, especially when the hearing date falls on the Asanteman traditional council meeting. We all saw the anger of Otumfuo that day. No chief has ever disrespected Otumfuo ntam kese and has survived destoolment’’ he predicted destoolment.
The way some judges are supporting traditional leaders in the Ashanti region to give false judgment to claim innocent people’s lands in the region is very bad. We pray the overload will invite this judge who supervised this unfortunate double sale of land before the palace and answer which portion of the constitution which supports this unfortunate cheating.
A number of chiefs in the Ashanti Kingdom have been pen down for destoolment following their involvement in double sales of lands, illegal mining and violation of traditional practice.
However, those who have essel in their respective traditional areas are expected to be elevated to paramountcy as part of activities to mark the 25years reign of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on the Asanteman Golden Stool.
