Kumawu sub chiefs go to court over land sales

Kumasi, Dec.19, GNA - Four sub chiefs of the Kumawu Traditional Council in the Ashanti region have filed a writ at the Kumasi High Court against the "wanton sale" of the Kumawu stool lands by the Queen, Nana Serwaa Amponsah and others.

The plaintiffs; Oheneba Kwabena Acheampong, Domakwaehene of Kumawu, Nana Kwasi Baffoe II, Akwamuhene, Nana Okyere Bediako, Bodweasehene and Nana Sarfo II, Aduanahene, who claim to be acting for themselves and on behalf of the people of Kumawu, are seeking injunction to restrain the defendants and their assigns from further sale and disposal of Kumawu stool lands in the Afram plains area to developers. In a statement of claim filed on their behalf by Mr. Charles Agbanu of Yaanom Chambers in Kumasi, the plaintiffs are seeking a declaration from the court that the defendants are not entitled to engage in the indiscriminate sales, transfers, leases, dispositions and alienations of Kumawu stool lands.

The plaintiffs are also seeking an order for the cancellation and invalidation of all such sales, transfers, leases, dispositions and alienation made in contravention of the constitution, law and custom. They are further seeking an order that true and proper accounts be taken of all the transactions involving Kumawu stool lands since the death of Barima Asumadu Sakyi II, former paramount chief in 2007 and damages for such dispositions and sales. According to the plaintiffs, the writ is to restrain the queen and the other defendant sub chiefs from continuing the "wrongful" sale of stool lands in Kumawu to private commercial developers.