Chief beats Queenmother in public

The Paramount Chief of Goaso Traditional Area, Nana Kwasi Baffour Bosomprah II, has been fined for allegedly assaulting the Queenmother of Dantano, near Kukuom in the Asunafo South District of the Brong Ahafo Region.

The Goasomanhene was compelled to cough out various fines amounting to GH¢3,200, as well as present three sheep and six bottles of schnapps by a panel of chiefs which sat on the case on September 12 at the Kukuom palace after he admitted to the offence.

Following that, the Queenmother of Goaso, Nana Yaa Achiaa, invoked the Great Oath of the Asantehene on Nana Kwasi Bosomprah for denigrating the stool by fighting in public.

By the Great Oath, the queenmother demanded his destoolment, a matter which is pending before the Asantehene.

The chief allegedly assaulted the Dantano Queenmother, Nana Ama Agyapah, also known as Nana Yaa Amankwaah, on June 4, 2011 at Ayomso, near Mim, during the final funeral rites of the late Ayomso queenmother.

The offence of Nana Yaa Amankwaah was that she allegedly refused to get up from her seat to pay the chief homage and insulted him when he arrived at the funeral grounds.

Out of fury, the chief allegedly violently pushed the queenmother to the ground and ordered his aides to subject her to beatings.

She reported the matter to the police and just when the case was being processed for court, Nana Kwasi Bosomprah, through one Mr. Baye, an NDC parliamentary aspirant at Asunafo North, intervened and opted for an out-of-court settlement.

Subsequently, Nana Kwasi Bosomprah was charged by the adjudicating panel to slaughter three sheep, present 6 bottles of schnapps, and pay various sums of money amounting to GH¢3,200. An amount of GH¢2,400 was to be paid to the victim to defray her medical expenses, while GH¢500 was meant to compensate her, with the remaining GH¢300 going to the panel.

According to a member of the panel, Okyeame Oduro Numapau of Kukuom, the Goasomanhene managed to pay the GH¢500 compensation and GH¢600 out of the GH¢2,400 medical expenses to the victim.

He also paid the GH¢300 to the panel and pleaded to be given one month to pay the remaining fine.

The panel, which was chaired by Nana Boakye Kukrudufo, the chief of Fawohoyeden, had the following members: Nana Kwadwo Boadi, Sianahene, Nana Obeng Bempah, Kukuom Akyeamehene, Nana Adusei Nkrumah, Nana Abena Osaa II, Queenmother of Kukuom and Okyeame Oduro Numapau of Kukuom, the office of the Kukuom Traditional Council Registrar has disclosed.

When DAILY GUIDE spoke to the assaulted queenmother, she confirmed being beaten by Nana Kwasi Bosomprah at the funeral grounds at Ayomso on June 4, 2011 because she refused to get up from her seat when the paramount chief and his entourage arrived.

She said she did not get up because they were all in a mourning mood and the event was not for merry-making to warrant any strict observance of the tradition, and more so she was not under the Goasomanhene.

Nana Yaa Amankwaah said the chief, who became furious with her conduct, rushed on her, pushed her down and ordered his aides to further attack her.

According to her, she reported the incident to the police and just as the matter was being prepared for court, the Omanhene pleaded with the police, through an NDC activist, to settle the case out of court which she obliged.

The queenmother said the matter had since been settled and the chief had been charged to compensate her. She said she was very satisfied with the compensation and wished the story died a natural death without being carried by the media.

However, when contacted, Nana Kwasi Bosomprah denied personally assaulting the queenmother.

He claimed it was some of his aides who smashed the umbrella of the queenmother on the ground when she rained insults on him in public.

He said he was dragged to the police and later before the committee because as a paramount chief, he took responsibility for his aides’ actions.

Nana Baffour Bosomprah threatened to deal drastically with Daily Guide if it published any story about him since he had not committed any crime.

According to him, the allegation was an attempt by his detractors to disgrace him, claiming the paper had been tasked by his enemies to tarnish his image.