The National Security has denied alleged assault on an estate developer Mohammed Alhassan popularly known as Hajj Hajj.
Media reports had suggested Mr Alhassan had been brutally attacked by some individuals claiming to be national security operatives while on his parcel of land at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region.
But Starr News has gathered the incident was as a result of a misunderstanding between the estate developer and some other individuals over ownership of a parcel of land. The individuals, according to Alhassan, stormed a parcel of land where he was supervising some activity and assaulted him in the process.
The incident was reported to the Dodowa Police. But in a new twist, according to the national security operatives, the estate developer was encroaching on a parcel of land belonging a group of people. The group together with the Alhassan were given the land after rendering service to the Wedokum family of Dodowa. Speaking to Starr News the individuals only named as Tanko, Abdullah and Ganiwu explained the so-called estate developer was rather encroaching on their land. According to them, about 44 acres of land was given to them by the Wedokum family.
“The Wedokum family gave Alhassan and I contract for demarcation of their land. We told them only the two of us cannot undertake such a task so they asked us to bring onboard others. So I brought on board Tanko, Ganiwu and other individuals who are now with the national security. We did the work together and we were allocated 19 acres of land by the Wedokum family as our payment at first. We were later given extra 25 acres for some other services rendered making a total of 44 acres. The family took us to the site of the land and demarcated our portion for us to share among ourselves. But since 2007, our guy (Alhassan) has refused to lead the sharing exercise,” Abdullah explained.
He refuted allegation of assault explaining there was rather attempt to arrest the said Alhassan by the national security operatives who are also part owners of the parcel of land in question.
The Wedokum family has corroborated the story of Abdullah.
Speaking to Starr News a youth leader of the family John Larweh disclosed the problems could be traced to the failure to share the land given to the men involved.
“What happened was that Alhassan had already sold the land. So they came to the family and we told them your land has already been given to you and Alhassan is the one handling it. They approached Alhassan and I think he was lying to them so I gave them a copy of site plan of the land that the family gave to them. So they reported the case at the Dodowa Divisional Police Command. The crime officer then told all of them including Alhassan to go and share the land for peace to prevail. I think that has not been done. The land in question doesn’t belong to Alhassan alone. It belongs to Alhassan, Ganiwu and co.”
Alhassan, however, insists the land in question belongs to only him. He told Starr News the initial 19-acre land given to them has been sold in exchange for vehicles for everybody involved.
The case is however with the Dodowa Police Command for investigations and possible resolution.