Kwahu Pitiko: Gunmen 'abduct,' assault and parade chief naked

There is simmering tension at the Kwahu Pitiko traditional area in Afram Plains South District of the Eastern region following a near-deadly attack on the Chief of Pitiko Nana Frimpong Akoamire II by unknown thugs.

The thugs, wielding guns, knives, sticks, and other dangerous implements invaded the house of the Chief in the evening around 9:00 pm and subjected him to severe beatings, tore his dress, dragged and paraded him naked in the street.

The thugs numbering about 30 violently abducted the Chief to Tease and paraded him before the Krontihene of Pitiko Nana Adu Paako I who admitted to sanctioning the attack.

The chief narrated to Starr News' Eastern Regional Correspondent Kojo Ansah that: “I was seated here with the Queen-mother discussing some issues at about 9:00 pm then suddenly, some thugs invaded the house started smashing my vehicle, so I attempted to dash to my room, but two of the men wielding guns pulled a pistol and threatened to shoot me if I moved an inch.

“So they pulled me out of the house and started assaulting me and knocked me down to the ground and dragged me in the gravels. They were numbering about 30 wielding guns, machete, sticks, and others things.

“They told me the police is aware of their operation. Then they took me and paraded me at gunpoint through the street walked to Adomasua on barefoot and half-naked while hitting me with the sticks and dehumanizing me.”

The badly injured chief was taken to the police station by the thugs and the Krontihene. A medical form was issued to him to seek treatment at Tease Presbyterian Clinic.

“The thugs took me to the Police station I was very weak and couldn’t stand so I laid flat on the floor. So the police gave me a medical form for treatment. None of the thugs were arrested. The only thing the police did was retrieving my mobile phone for me so that I could reach out to my family.”

Nana Frimpong Akoamire II was referred to Atibie where he was admitted, treated, and discharged on Wednesday.

He was given two armed Police escort by the Abetifi Police to return to Tease District Police Command in Afram Plains South on Thursday, April 15, 2021, to write a formal statement on the incident to enable police investigate.

A woman who witnessed the incident corroborated thus: "the Chief struggled with them but they outnumbered him, beat him mercilessly, knocked him down and dragged him on the ground. In fact I urinated on myself out of panic. In fact they beat the Chief."

Nana Akuamoa Asumani, Pitiko Akwamuhene accused the District Chief Executive of Afram Plains South George Ofori of being behind the Krontihene in carrying out the atrocious act.

The attack has been linked to a chieftaincy dispute in the Pitiko traditional area.

The faction of the assaulted chief has mobilized and threatening to clash with any group that invades the community again.

The DCE and the Krontihene did not respond to the effort to get their side of the story.