Police avert bloodbath in Osudoku as rival clans clash over large tract of prime land

A timely intervention by the police averted what could have been a bloodbath at Agortor, near Osuwem, in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region. Despite the role played by the police, a factional chief was severely tortured by his opponents and is currently receiving medical attention.

The mayhem, The Chronicle was told, was as a result of a dispute over land in the Accra plains, between two Dangme-speaking groups from Ningo and Osudoku.

The Chronicle’s independent investigation has revealed that the present chief of Agortor, Nene Teye Kwesi, who is in charge of a large tract of land in the Accra Plains, hails from the Djangmaaku Salem Clan, and his reign is recognized by the Osudoku Traditional Council.

Ironically, the Ningos from the Djangmaaku Manya Clan has also laid claim to the same tract of land that is being considered a ‘hot cake’, following massive developments springing up in the area.

Nene Teye Kwesi, the Agortor chief, told The Chronicle in an interview that they have released acres of land to some corporate bodies for development, but the corner pegs for demarcation were destroyed overnight, by unknown persons.

According to him, in the night of Friday, June 9, 2023 he sent his boys to the site to watch over the erected pillars. When his emissaries arrived, they noticed that a herd of cattle had stormed the ground, accompanied by unknown persons. These herdsmen, he alleged, used the animals as shield and started removing the erected pillars.

Nene Kwesi added that, suddenly gunshots started coming from the midst of the advancing herds of cattle.

Some residents in the locality, upon hearing the gunshots, also responded with equal fire power to ward off any potential threat. As a result, the chief said his boys got frightened and fled the ground.

The following morning, Saturday June 10, 2023 the boys got back to the ground and spotted two pick-ups with occupants moving towards their direction.

Because of what had happened in the previous night, he said his boys hurriedly mounted their motorbikes and sped off. Unfortunately for them (boys), their bike ran into a pillar, resulting in an accident and the occupants of the pursuing pick-ups came out to arrest them.

Benjamin Zuta and Jacob Gado, both 27 years, were taken to unknown destination, which report reached him at his base in Tema Community 25. He (Agortorr chief), therefore, jumped into his pick-up and headed to Agortor.

The chief continued that, due to insecurity in the enclave, he had procured a number of weapons, including a side arm, which he duly registered at Police Firearms Registry.

With these arms, he got to Agortor and met a mob, together with policemen, being led by a Chief Inspector whom he knows very well. He then parked behind the police vehicle.

According to him, while attempting to get down from the car, a section of the mob advanced menacingly towards him and this development compelled him to cork his gun.

Some of the young men, however, attempted to disarm him and in the ensued melee, his finger struck the trigger, resulting in the discharge of some pellets.

Nene further told The Chronicle that he was finally disarmed, subdued and subjected to various forms of torture with offensive weapons.

He continued that, momentarily, he did not know what happened again, but woke up to find himself in the police vehicle, after being sent to the Prampram Polyclinic, where he was referred to the International Maritime Hospital at Tema Community Three for further treatment.

Benjamin Zuta, one of the chief’s emissaries, who was reportedly captured by the opponent of the chief, also told this reporter that on that fateful morning of Saturday, he was with Jacob Gazo, his colleague, to watch over the pillars, but they realised that the said pegs had been removed and set on fire.

He, therefore, used his phone’s camera to record the burnt pegs for evidential purpose, but saw two pick-ups approaching him.

Sensing danger, he and Gazo jumped onto their bike and sped off, but were pursued by the Pick-up vehicles. They, however, struck a pillar, throwing them into a pond.

The assailants, he said, captured them at about 09:30 hours, assaulted them with sticks and human fists, after which they were tied, placed in a pick-up and sent to the home of their captives.

Meanwhile, their phones were taken away from them and destroyed. It was at about 17:30hours that they were transported to the Doryumu Police Station and subsequently issued with police medical report forms, since their health conditions were so serious that the police would not accept them.

Zuta added that their assailants took them to the medical center at the Army Recruits Training School (ARTS), Shai Hills, where they were treated. Gazo, he said, was treated, discharged and taken back to the police station at Doryumu.

Spotting a stitched head, Zuta stated that the following Sunday, when their assailants were not showing up, the authorities at the hospital discharged him. He then went to lodge an official complaint at the Tema Regional Police Command.

Francis Mawuna, leader of the Djangmaaku Manya faction, from the same Ningo, also narrated to The Chronicle that he has the power of attorney for his clan.

He claimed that on the night of Friday, June 9, 2023, due to the incessant rains, which resulted in the kraal becoming flooded, his herdsmen decided to release the cattle to roam around, but not without a guard.

Along the line, the herdsmen heard gunshots with a pellet striking one Ismael Mawuna and injuring him. A report was made to the police at Asutsuare Junction for action.

On Saturday at about 09:00 hours, police from Doryumu, led by a Chief Inspector, arrived at the scene to conduct an investigation into the shooting the previous night.

Police went ahead to obtain the names of the suspects, and proceeded to the assembly member to inform the suspects to voluntarily report at the station. Francis went on that a few minutes later, he and his men spotted the suspects, who they chased, and finally apprehended them.

Immediately, a call was made to the police who returned to the scene to take charge of the two suspects.

Other suspects who escaped arrest went to mobilize their men, stormed the ground, and attempted to forcibly release those arrested.

Mawuna continued that his group resisted and disarmed the invaders in the presence of the police and handed over the seized weapons to the law enforcement officers.

Continuing, the leader of the group stated that Nene Teye Kwesi, chief of Agortor arrived at the scene in a bulletproof jacket and pulled a sidearm, which the chief, during a struggle reportedly fired, hitting four persons, namely Noah Mawuna, Sampson Mawuna, Richard Gazo and another.

At this juncture they pounced on him and though he resisted, he was finally overpowered. Those injured, he said, were transported to the medical center at ARTS, Shai Hills, for treatment.

The Tema Regional Police Command is still investigating the case.