Gov't-Police Complicit In Anlo Bloodbath

Smoking gun in correspondence
The riddle of who to blame for the carnage which occurred during the attempt to install Mr Francis Nyonyo Agboada aka Togbui Sri III as the Awoamefia, has now produced a smoking gun in the form of official correspondence between The Royal House, the Police and the Minister of Cheiftaincy Affairs, Hon S.K Boafo.

One letter which is in the possession of The Chronicle clearly shows that unless by some acts of sorcery, the letter did not reach Hon Kwamena Bartels(pictured), one of them show that the Interior Minister and Member of Parliament for North Ablekuma was economical with the truth when he addressed his colleagues in Parliament on the chieftaincy riots in Anlo.


On Wednesday, November 7, Mr Bartels told Parliament, "On 31st October, the Anlo Traditional Authority notified the Ghana Police Service, in accordance of the Public Order Act 1994 (Act 491), of their intention to organize a five-day 'Cultural Festival'."


He continued that the police after satisfying themselves that there was no legal and security basis for refusing the request took the necessary steps to provide security for the function.


He insisted, "later security intelligence indicated that kingmakers of the faction, supporting the candidature of Togbui Sri III, as the substantive Awoamefia, had initiated process towards the installation of Togbui Sri III as the new Awoamefia during the course of the Cultural Festival celebrations.C


Nothing could be further from the truth as documents available to The Chronicle have revealed that Mr Bartels was privy to the intentions of the Togbui Sri faction to execute his installation, though in a telephone interview yesterday, he said he was not privy to any such plan.

According to a letter dated October 22, and signed by the Awoamefia Stool Secretary, Napoleon Agboada, which was written to the Divisional Commander of Keta and the Minister, they were all notified on the plans for the installation of Togbui Sri.


The letter stated "The Royal Adzorvia clan has decided to consummate the installation process of the Awoamefia by confirming Regent Togbui Sri III as the new Awoamefia.


The necessary customary rites are being performed before the outdooring.


We shall require police assistance during the ritual performances at Anloga as and when requested."


Informed sources who spoke to The Chronicle have raised questions that if the Togbui Sri faction indeed did not seek permission but went ahead to do the installation why have the authorities refused to arrest them.

"The Minister has not been truthful to both Parliament and Ghanaians since everything points to the fact that he was aware of the installation,installation," one of the concerned citizens o


They dared the government to show its neutrality by setting up an independent committee to go into the allegations against Mr Bartels and the Volta Regional Police command.


The Chronicle gathered that notwithstanding the volatile situation in the area, the Anlo Traditional Council made attempts to hold a traditional council meeting. Letters to that effect were served on the police.


When the paper contacted Mr Bartels, he insisted that he was not aware of the letter, which was purportedly served as notification to the security agencies of the installation.


He said as soon as they became aware of the planned installation they ran to court to seek injunction to halt the process.

Mr Bartels said as far as the law was concerned nobody had been installed as the Awoamefia.


He noted that everything associated to the dispute happened before the court injunction adding that after the injunction nothing had been done by any of the factions associated to the installation.


The Minister for Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. S.K. Boafo pleaded with The Chronicle to come to his office to be updated on what action his outfit had taken against the Togbui Sri faction who took the law into their own hands to organize the installation.