George Oti Bonsu, a known financier of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) says no court authorised the demolition of his 10 houses under construction at Ability, Adjiringanor, a plush suburb of Accra.
According to him, searches conducted at the registry of the Circuit Court in Adentan, Accra, proved that the demolition of the over GHS60 million project was unlawful, as the same was not permitted by the court.
“We possess evidence demonstrating that the court did not authorise the demolition, as Hajia’s team was duly informed of pending motions in court,” Mr. Bonsu said in a statement read on his behalf by his spokesperson, Benjamin Danso.
The spokesperson, Benjamin Danso, read the statement to the press at a conference held on Monday, April 22, 2024 at the site where the demolition took place, with the NPP financier, George Oti Bonsu, present.
Narrating their ordeal, the Spokesperson said the demolition was executed with “excessive force, including police and military presence,” forcibly entering the property at dawn on that fateful Sunday, April 7, 2024.
According to him, the Ghana Police Service did not assist with the enforcement of a supposed possession order, after seeking clarification from the Adentan Circuit Court, regarding a stay of execution.
POLICE SEARCH
A document said to be the outcome of the police search was shared with the media present at the presser yesterday, signed by ACP Benjamin Osei Addae, for Director-General, Legal & Prosecutions.
Filed on March 25, 2024 the letter was addressed to the Registrar at the Adentan Circuit Court on suit number C1/11/2021, between Hajia Aisha Ahmed as the plaintiff and George Oti Bonsu and Winchester Empire Co. LTD as the defendants.
It reads, “I am directed by the Director-General/Legal & Prosecutions to kindly conduct a search at the Registry of your court to ascertain the following:
“Whether or not judgement was/has been delivered in the above-mentioned suit. If yes, when?” The Registry answered yes and gave the date as November 28, 2023.
“Whether or not application for writ of possession was filed, if yes, when,” the Registry answered in the affirmative and provided the date as February 28, 2024.
The other was “whether or not application for writ of possession has been granted. If yes, when?” The response was yes, and the date given was March 5, 2024.
The police also searched for “whether or not notice of appeal has been filed in this matter. If yes, when?” Yes was the answer, and February 27, 2024 was the date given.
The police also asked “whether or not stay of execution has been filed. If yes, when?” The Adentan Circuit Court Registry said yes and supplied March 12, 2024 as the date.
According to the NPP financier search conducted on April 9, 2024 at the Adentan Circuit Court on the same suit, proved negative on whether or not the court sanctioned the supposed execution of its judgement on Sunday, April 7, 2024 the day of the demolition.
LANDS COMMISSION
Reading the statement, Mr. George Oti Bonsu’s team claimed that the official document from the Lands Commission contradicted the search result presented to the court by the plantiff, Hajia Ahmed.
At the Lands Commission, a search was conducted, applied for on March 28, 2024 by George Oti Bonsu with the job number LCGACS90411682024.
The result said it was not state land; its declaration is dated October 18, 1977, by Seth L. Mensah and the lease is dated October 19, 1977 by Seth Laryea Mensah and others to Baron T.F. Ernesto.
The assignment date is April 10, 1979 from Baron T.F. Ernesto to Empire Builders Limited and the surrender date is April 15, 1987 from Empire Builders Limited to Odaitei Tse We Family.
The search indicated a judgement dated April 26, 1989 in favour of Odaitei Tse We Family. (Civil Appeal No. 9/87) and another judgement dated July 27, 2015 in favour of two families: Nii Anorkwei Family and Nii Tuaka Family (Suit No. 1997/92).
“NB: Possessory Interest in favour of Tuakwa Family for a portion of land within the above-mentioned judgement. However, any grant for registration within the said Possessory Interest area must emanate from the Akwareboye Doku family.
2. (Portion Marked A) Lease dated November 7, 1999 From: Seth Laryea Mensah to: Kojo Wih Nkansah. 3. (Portion Marked B) Lease dated July 15, 1999 From: Seth Laryea Mensah to: Kiojo Wih Nkansah.”
It continued that “affected by plotted activity for Nii Akwraboye Doku Family with Lodgment Number LRDGAR10442019.
“Affected by a Conflict Application for Okpong We Family with Lodgment Number 002530/2017.
“Affected by a plotted activity for Winchester Empire Limited with Lodgment Number LRDGAR133682862022.
“(Portion Marked l) Affected by a plotted activity for Ibrahim Brobase Company Limited with Lodgment Number 005243/2017. LRD, Affected by Land Certificate Number GA64020 issued to Akraboye Doku Family,” the search at the Lands Commission indicated.
The seal of the Registry was affixed to the certificate on April 9, 2024 and signed by Gordon Ashirifie, Assistant Land Administration Officer for Regional Lands Officer at the Lands Commission.
WHO SOLD?
The aggrieved, Mr. George Oti Bonsu, briefly spoke after the statement had been read on his behalf.
He introduced some personalities, representing three families, who are said to be the owners of the land and challenged the other party in the dispute to bring forth the family that sold the land to them.
The three families mentioned at the press conference, and captured in the Lands Commission’s document, are the Nii Anorkwei family, the Nii Tuaka family and the Akwareboye Doku family.
The families said after the 2015 judgement, Mr. Oti Bonsu appeared with a document he got years ago for the land, and they made him pay money and rectified it for him to start developing the land.
According to the family, the land document presented to court by Hajia Aisha pertains to land outside the jurisdiction of the Okpong-We family.
HAJIA PURCHASE
Meanwhile, this reporter has read that the plaintiff, Hajia Aisha Ahmed, is said to have also concluded the purchase of property after having taken the necessary steps, including legal searches.
It was to ascertain the root of title of her grantor and she was satisfied that her grantor, the Okpong-We Family, duly represented by its Head and Lawful Representative, Nii Tawiah Osabu-Kle, was the lawful and proper owner of the lands in that area, with an encumbrance from Ibrahim Brobase Limited.
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