Otumfuo's jewels stolen in Oslo

King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, of the Ashanti Empire in what later became the West African country of Ghana, has filed a report with police in Oslo claiming that precious, inherited crown jewels had been stolen from him in the lobby of the downtown Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel on Thursday. Police are giving the case high priority.

The king, traditional leader of the Ashanti people and a resident of Ghana, is in Norway to take part in a business conference. VG Nett reported that someone took a suitcase containing the king’s jewels from the area around hotel’s front desk.


“We have been told that a bag containing great value, also of great sentimental value for the owner, was stolen from the delegation,” Marius Erlandsen of the Oslo Police District told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK).

“As hosts for His Majesty, we are terribly sorry about this,” Eivind Fjeldstad, leader of the Norwegian-African Business Association, told VG Nett. The jewels reportedly have been inherited through several generations and are used by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II when he performs ceremonial duties as monarch for his people.


Erlandsen told (NRK) that the police had “good pictures” from a surveillance camera at the hotel and were working to identify persons in the pictures. He said it was possible more persons were involved in the reported theft.