Martin Adjei-Mensah-Korsah
A MEDICAL practitioner has filed a petition against the Member of Parliament (MP) for Techiman South, Martin Adjei-Mensah-Korsah, who is scheduled to be vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament for the position of Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development.
The petitioner is claiming that the minister-designate is using ‘unfair means to forcefully take over’ some parcels of land located at Tse Addo behind the Trade Fair at La, Accra from them.
Nominee Incensed
The minister-designate has however, been incensed by what he called ‘deliberate plot to assassinate his character’ and has written through his lawyer, Gary Nimako Marfo, saying the claims are spurious and he will not hesitate to take legal action against those seeking to destroy his reputation without any cause.
He has said he does not know anything about what he is being accused of and would not sit down for his name to be dragged in the mud.
Petitioner’s Action
Besides, the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, the Speaker of Parliament, both Majority and Minority Caucuses, have all been served with the said petition according to the claimant.
Dr. Benjamin Adu, who petitioned Parliament, alleged that the MP has hidden behind his assigns to allegedly trespass on his land at Tse Addo.
According to him, all attempts to stop him from the act of trespass have proven futile, claiming that “he has consistently been engaging in the act of unlawful entry into the said parcel of land by the use of brute force through his personal aids, surrogates and some armed personnel of the military to deter me from my right to exclusive use and enjoyment of my land and all other incidents afforded me under the law. On countless occasions, I have been harassed and assaulted by the military he employs, each time I visit the parcel of land.”
“This petition has become very necessary in light of some very important constitutional imperatives, after deliberation on the choice of legal proceedings against the Hon. Member and now a nominee. I am minded by the provision of chapter ten of the 1992 Constitution, particularly Article 115,116,117 and 118.”
The petitioner claimed that the nominee becoming substantive deputy minister could wield more influence and disturb the peace he has to enjoy on the land.
Spurious Claim
The nominee, through his lawyers, Marfo and Associates, flatly denied knowledge of having any interest whatsoever in the said parcel of land and expressed shock at the courage with which his accusers have embarked on the agenda against him.
According to the MP, he does not even know where the supposed Accra land is situated and does not know the petitioners and he has never had any form of confrontation or misunderstanding with them.
“The two persons, Kelvin / Lydia Forson are unknown to our client. The land, the subject matter of the petition, is unknown to our client. Our client has absolutely no interest in the land, the subject matter of the petition. Our client has not sent anyone to develop the land,” he categorically stated in a statement issued May 10, 2021 to the CID headquarters in connection with the issue when the listed names and not Dr. Benjamin Adu reported the matter to the police.
The statement said the MP is not involved in any form of land litigation with anyone and suspected that there are political motives behind the claims.
From Vincent Kubi, Tema