Odehye Kwadwo Kese
A Circuit Court at Akropong has fined four sub-chiefs of the Akuapem-Akropong Traditional Area in the Eastern Region who led the enstoolment of a new Okuapehene.
They were fined a total of GH?48,576 or in default spend four years in jail.
The convicts, namely Odehye Kofi Asiedu Adu-Mfum, 57; Nana Semenhyia Ohene Asa Krofa, 43; Benet Osei Opoku alias Ohenenana BS Opoku, 55, and Nana Odiasempa Krobea Asante, 70, were convicted of flouting restriction imposed on social and public gathering as measures to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
They were charged for breaching paragraph 1(a) (vii) of Section 6 of the Impositions of Restriction Act 1012 of Act 2020.
Each person was sentenced to pay a fine of GH¢12,144 or in default served four years in jail after their lawyer, Joseph Adakpaksa, took steps to mitigate their sentence.
Prosecutor Detective Inspector Lukeman Sulemana told the court presided over by Harriet Nsembo that the four sub-chiefs were arrested at a meeting last Friday during an installation process at Akropong.
Chief Installation
Currently, there is heavy presence of armed police from the Formed Police Unit (FPU), military personnel, BNI, and the National Security at Akropong, particularly at the forecourt of the Okuapehene’s palace, following the purported installation of Nana Kwadwo Kese, 34, as the new Okuapehene in place of the late Oseadeyo Nana Addo Dankwa II.
It followed the nullification of the enstoolment process of Odehye Kwasi Akufo by the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs last Thursday where the committee asked the parties go back and restart the whole process.
The Paramount Queenmother, Nana Afua Nketia Obuo, whose traditional duty it is to introduce the nominated Okuapehene to Asonahene Nana Kwasi Omenako II to oversee the process, has distanced herself from the action of the kingmakers.
Besides, the Asonahene had said he was not involved in the process.
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Akropog