Police take over Gbese Palace

Today can confirm that police personnel have been deployed to officially guard the traditional palace of Gbese Mantse located at Ga Mashie in Accra.

The police deployment, which happened on May 01, 2017, Today learnt, was under the express order of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. David Asante-Appeatu, and the Accra Regional Police Command.

A visit by Today to the Gbese Mantse Palace over the weekend revealed that the police had removed all the family members of Nii Ayi Bonte who were leaving at the palace and locked up the place.

The protection of the palace by the police, according to our sources, is to prevent Nii Ayi Bonte and his elders from entering the palace to perform traditional and customary rites in the palace which is currently under serious dispute.

Greater Accra Regional Police Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mrs. Afia Tenge, who confirmed this in an interview with Today, said her outfit took that decision to protect lives and properties.

She, however, declined to give further details on the matter.

It would be recalled that on April 2009, the substantive Gbese Mantse, Nii Okaija III, was forcibly removed from the palace by Nii Ayi Bonte’s feuding faction.

That unlawful removal of Nii Okaija III and his elders was alleged to have been carried out under the instruction of former National Security Coordinator, Mr. Larry Gbevlo Lartey.

That incident resulted in violence orchestrated by Nii Ayi Bonte’s feuding faction, which led to the loss of lives and destruction of valuable properties in Ga Mashie.

And since that time, Nii Ayi Bonte and his elders have been the occupants of Gbese Mantse Palace until the police took over recently.