Court remands five people for offensive conduct in a row with queen

Asamankese (E/R), April 12, GNA - The Asamankese Circuit Court has remanded in prison custody five persons who allegedly insulted Nana Asiedu Antwi-Bosiako, Queen of Akyem Pramkese, and caused damage to her property. The accused, including two women, who were charged with offensive conduct and causing unlawful damage, pleaded not guilty and they will re-appear on April 17. The police are looking for two other accomplices who are on the run.

Police Inspector Felix Larbi Danso, prosecuting, told the court presided over by Mr Kofi Akrowiah that there had been chieftaincy dispute at Pramkese resulting in disunity in the town. He said when one Opanin Kwadwo Birikorang, a member of a faction opposed to the queen died, that faction banned Nana Antwi-Bosiako from attending the funeral. The prosecution said the queen who was in-charge of the town, also filed an injunction at a Koforidua High Court, restraining the deceased family from performing the funeral rites. The prosecution said on March 7, at about 1900 hours, when the body of the deceased was laid in state, two bailiffs from the court, called at the Pramkese Police station to solicit assistance to serve the injunction order, purported to have been filed by the queen to prevent the holding of the funeral.

To avoid likely confrontation at the funeral grounds, the police rather invited members of the bereaved family to the Police station where they were served with the injunction order. That did not go down well with the family members who were joined by others to besiege the police station in protest. The court heard that the angry bereaved family members later stormed the residence of the queen and rained insults on her. They allegedly damaged her door and hurled stones on her roof.