Police at the site of the demolition
Greater Accra Regional Police Command is investigating circumstances that led to demolition of a multi-million cedi mansion by some thugs at Ablekuma, a suburb of Accra.
The police investigation follows a petition by the owner of the building, Mr. Anthony Yorkson Kwabena Acquah.
Some thugs led by one Asafoakye Iddrisu of Ablekuma, the petitioner, said demolished his house on a parcel of land he bought legally from Nii Opare Baidoo of Sempe Mensah family who are custodians of Ablekuma lands.
According to Mr. Acquah, he bought the said land from Nii Opare Baidoo in 1988, which is situated at Ablekuma Park, near Abease Taxi Rank.
According to the petition, the receipts on the payment of the land were issued by the Secretary of Sempe Mensah family, Mr. Dan-Pat Nettey, to Mr. Acquah.
A copy of one the receipts states: “Mr. Acquah, a Ghanaian based in Italy proceeded with the land registration and documentations with two plots in his name and the other two in the name of his wife, Mrs. Cavastina Amanor Boadu.”
Addressing a press conference in Accra after submitting the petition, the son of Mr. Acquah, Nelson Adjei, said on Saturday, April 15, 2017 the armed thugs broke into their house and destroyed portions of the building and the fence wall.
According to Mr. Adjei, days after the demolition, the thugs began building on the same land by depositing sand and stones.
He stated that though the thugs were stopped by the Ablekuma police they continued to build on the land in his absence.
“I went and reported the incident to the Greater Accra Regional Police Command on Monday, April 24, 2017…and while with the police, my neighbours from Ablekuma called that some people, including the person who claims to be the foreman of those buildings on my father’s land, together with some land-guards from Joma and Agape of Ablekuma with a bulldozer were trying to enter our premises through the main gate. One of them is the Merantehene of Joma,” he stated.
“Parts of my father’s house had been destroyed. The main gate had been widely opened, our pipe lines have been damaged by the land-guards,” he stated.
He added that the foreman was later arrested but was bailed by one Umar Issah, who has claimed ownership of the said land.
