CHRAJ orders chiefs to appear before it or

Atebubu (B/A) May 20, GNA - The Atebubu District Office of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has ordered two traditional rulers and three farmers before it within three weeks, which failure to observe would face court action.

The chiefs are Naa Kwaku Lanta V, paramount chief of Parambo and Kofi Karanya, chief of Karinya-Akora, all in the district.

They were alleged to have collaborated with three farmers and seized a quantity of farm produce and livestock belonging to Kwadwo Meriaa of Karinya-Akora and driven him out of the village. The farmers are Kwabena Vuba, Cibedo Karinya and Felix Osofo. Mr Samuel Vasco Kwadwo Nyamekye, District Director, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency, said the five also refused to honour invitations sent to them by the Commission after their first appearance in February 20, this year.

He said the invitation followed a petition by Meriaa against Kofi Karinya, the chief and his relatives Vuba, Cibedo and Felix. The CHRAJ Director said the petitioner alleged that the chief and the three severely assaulted him, seized his three-acre yam farm, one acre beans farm, half acre okro farm, half acre groundnuts farm and 18 fowls and drove him away from the village under the pretext that he had proposed love to Adwoa Bisie, wife of one Tuninyira Karinya. Mr Nyamekye said according to the petition, Adwoa accompanied him (Meriaa) to his farm but on their return she informed the husband that Meriaa had had sex with her on the farm.

He said the husband in turn informed the village chief, Kofi Karinya, who summoned Meriaa before the elders but he denied the allegation.

Mr Nyamekye said the chief did not allow Meriaa to open his defence and the elders fined him 500,000 cedis, five fowls and five bottles of akpeteshie to which he objected since he had witnesses to testify.

The CHRAJ Director said Meriaa reported the matter to Naa Lanta V who, after listening to the case rather increased the fine to 600,000 cedis.

Investigations by the police and CHRAJ officials revealed that the chief and his relatives manhandled Meriaa without going into the matter.

Mr Nyamekye warned the two chiefs, who had earlier admitted giving the ruling against Meriaa before the Commission to appear before it for an amicable settlement or it would advise itself.