Ex-chief imprisoned for disobeying court orders

Nana Nkansah Boamah III, former Badiakyirehene of Dompoase, in the Adansi West district has been sentenced to 14 days imprisonment by a Kumasi High court for disobeying the orders of the Supreme Court.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice Gilbert Quaye said since Nana Boamah "has shown a disposition of non-compliance with the orders of the court, it is left with no choice than to impose a sentence on him".

The court also ordered him to purge his contempt within 21 days. The court in August this year, in a bid to enforce the Supreme Court ruling, ordered Nana Boamah to surrender within 21 days the black stool and all other paraphernalia in his possession to the elders of his family, which he failed to do.

The Supreme Court in its ruling, struck off an appeal filed by Nana Boamah over his destoolment and awarded two million cedis cost against him. Nana Boamah was destooled in 1996 by members of his family led by Opanin Kwadwo Poku, Opanin Osei Bonsu and Opanin Kwame Adiyaa.

He is said to have misappropriated proceeds from the sale of land, which he did without the consent of his family and his overlord, Dompoasehene Okofo Tabiri Agyei III. He was also accused of performing customary rites in respect of the royal mausoleum without the knowledge of his elders and his overlord. In addition, Nana Boamah was said to have misappropriated 400,000 cedis meant for performing customary rites.

Nana Boamah reacted to the destoolment by filing petitions at the Adansi Traditional Council, the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs, the National House of Chiefs and the Supreme Court but lost all the bids to win back his title.