Corpse exhumed, dumped at chief’s palace in Eastern Region

There is escalating tension at Awenade, a community near Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region after a corpse was exhumed and dumped in front of a chief's palace.

The coffin containing the body of a 39-year-old Adwoa Antwiwaa was exhumed by some unknown persons and left at the forecourt of a rival chief’s palace occupied by Nana Danso Ofori III Sunday morning around 5:10 am.

The body of the deceased was buried Saturday around 4:pm.

Police were informed about the incident which has heightened tension in the already volatile chieftaincy dispute prone community.

The Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command, DSP Ebenezer Tetteh told Starr News that Police led by the Nkawkaw District Commander, Superintendent Victor Kwakye and the District crime officer, ASP Samuel Opoku Korang quickly rushed to Awenade community and found the coffin which contained the body placed in front of the said Chief’s palace.

He said police as part of its investigation visited the cemetery and found an empty grave where the deceased was buried.

DSP Ebenezer Tetteh said the body was removed from the Coffin by the Police and deposited at the Holy family Hospital mortuary for preservation.

He said though there is relative calm in the community, fifteen armed Police personnel have been deployed to maintain peace.

Background

Awenade community has been embroiled in chieftaincy feud where two Persons – Nana Danso Ofori II (old Chief allegedly destooled ) and newly installed chief- Nana Osei Agyei II, are all claiming to be legitimate chiefs of the community.

In November 2019, five persons including the alleged destooled chief were arrested by the Nkawkaw district Police Command over bloody clashes in the community.

Four of the suspects were remanded by the Mpraeso Circuit Court but the alleged destooled chief Nana Ofori Danso III was granted bail.

Two factions allegedly brought thugs to fight each other on Sunday, November 3, 2019.

The thugs, mostly land guards, brought from Accra wielding machetes and other offensive weapons blocked the main road from Nkawkaw through to Awenade leading to Kumasi and went on rampage fighting each other.

Two vehicles that were parked in front of the chief’s palace had their windscreens also smashed and burnt. Scores of people were injured. Plastic Chairs and other properties were also destroyed. Residents fled the community till peace was restored.

Last Sunday’s incident is believed to have been triggered by burial fees of GHC300 collected by the alleged destooled chief Nana Danso Ofori II authorizing the burial of the deceased which the rival faction questioned.