Court orders suspension of Moree Abangye Festival

Cape Coast, Aug. 9, GNA-A circuit court at Cape Coast on Tuesday placed an order suspending the celebration of this year's Abangye festival of the chiefs and people of Moree, near Cape Coast, pending the resolution of a chieftaincy dispute.

The court also bonded seven elders of the town, comprising two alleged contestant's for the chief's stool and five elders of the town to be of good be good behaviour for nine months or in default serve six months each in prison.

They are Nana Kofi Adansi VII, the Ebusuapanyin of the 'Kona' royal clan and Jasper Amponsah an electrician, both of whom are alleged to be contestants for the stool, and Opanyin Ekow Krah, Ebusuapanyin Kow Takyi, Ebusuapanyin Kofi Atta, Ebusuapanyin Kweku Tsiaku and Ebusuapanyin Kwamena Dadzie, the elders.

The court's order, followed an ex-parte motion filed by the police on Monday, to restrain the five elders, belonging to two factions in the dispute from out-dooring either Nana Adansi or Amponsah as chiefs. In an accompanying affidavit, the police expressed concern that the elders who are from the same Kona royal family, had split into two factions, with each faction confining its own proposed chief to be out-doored and preside over the celebration of the festival, which begins on Thursday.

Mr. Mustapha Logoh, the presiding judge, asked the seven men to ensure an amicable settlement within the period of the bond, to ensure peace and asked them to inform the police when the issue has been settled.

The stool at Moree became vacant after the death of Nana Adzekese X three years ago.