Asantehene warns chiefs: Stop double land sales

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has expressed grave concern about the way and manner some of his traditional leaders have involved themselves in double sale of lands and others forcefully snatching lands from owners over expired lease with impunity.

He has, therefore, warned Kumasi traditional leaders to stop cheating residents with their authority over lands or face his wrath.

According to the Asantehene, “I’m being accused wrongly for your unlawful activities in the Region, you people are disgracing me, you all need to be careful with the things you are doing.

“You are making me lose my trust among you all…, your illegal activ­ities are disgrace to the respected Chieftaincy institution and me, as the Asantehene,’’ he stated.

The Asantehene made these com­ments when two prominent chiefs, Bantamahene, Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI, and Amakomhene, Nana Adu Mensah Asare, appeared before the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) over double sale of land and snatching of lands over expired lease, respectively.

On his part, the Amakomhene had snatched a land from a couple who occupied it from 1942 and sold it to the church of Pentecost over an expired lease.

After resolving the land dispute between Bantamahene and the parties involved, the Asantehene directed Bantamahene to release all documents on the land to Mr Am­ponsah, whom he first sold the land to, and again directed him to return the money he took from the church within 14 days, as he promised before the KTC.

He further instructed Bantam­ahene to ensure that by 10am on February 21, 2023, all documenta­tion on the land was released to Mr Amponsah.

Otumfuo, who did not mince words with Bantamahene, said, “Baffour, with the stature of the stool you occupy, if such cases come before me, it means you are disgracing me”.

He told him to eschew such be­haviours or else “you will supervise your own destoolment; tomorrow I will not forget to dismiss you. Bantamahene don’t deserve this prosecution. You are lowering the stature of the Bantama stool”.

On the expired lease, the Asante­hene directed Nana Apagyahene to send surveyors to the land and divide the said land into three- one should be given to Amakomhene, Nana Adu Mensah Asare, the re­maining two, including his (Asante­hene), should be given back to the woman for peace to prevail.

He used the occasion to explain that “there are clear legal and tra­ditional arrangements for restoring expired leases; you don’t just eject people from their property imme­diately you hear their lease has ex­pired. You divide the said land into three, one is given to Asantehene, the woman takes one and Amakom stool also takes one. Why must you forcefully take all, where from the intimidation?” Asantehene fumed.

He told the Amakomhene to regard traditional rules on lease management.