Victor Owusu died a pauper

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 31.10.2002 - Chronicle investigations have chanced upon bits of evidence which go to substantiate the fact that the late Victor Owusu, the 1979 Presidential candidate of the Popular Front Party (PFP) and Godfather of the NPP died in penury.

The paper can report on authority that the man regarded by many as the greatest Ashanti lawyer of all time was unable to pay his rent in respect of his residence at Putney in London where he resided as a tenant since 1991 until his death on 16 December 2000.

Yours sincerely has learnt that “Ghana’s President who never was” was abandoned by the family when old age and ill-health dogged him in England. When it became extremely difficult for the eminent economist, lawyer and statesman of undisputed repute to pay his accumulated rent he did the unthinkable and assigned his property at 4 Rangoon Close, Cantonments in Accra to the landlady Sysben Shadrawy.

The long-suffering Miss Shadrawy of Ghanaian/Lebanese descent permitted Victor to continue occupation of the house till his death. Even then, duly accredited representatives and principal members of the family pleaded with the landlady and promised to settle all indebtedness owed.

The family has, to date, reneged on this promise and had reportedly even made an about turn trying to take over the property at Cantonments without settling the debts. This move is in spite of Victor’s commitment to settle the indebtedness with the said house, according to a written document sighted by Chronicle.

The said Cantonments property has been listed among others in a Letter of Administration application by the family principal member of whom is Dr Charles Yves Wereko-Brobby, the UGM Presidential candidate and Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority (VRA).

President John Kufuor, who was once Victor’s “small boy” is said to have been informed about the indebtedness but his reaction to it is not known.

Victor Owusu was accorded a state burial amid the prevailing and rather embarrassing situation. The late Victor Owusu is the maternal half brother of Kwabena Annan who also doubles as the paternal half brother of Busumuru Kofi Annan.

It was hinted that Victor Owusu initiated the entry into the foreign service of Dr Kofi Annan, the UN supreme. In a bid to assert her legal rights to the said property at Cantonments, Sysben Shadrawy has moved to contest her claims in an Accra highcourt. She has engaged a legal brain in Kumasi to that effect.

The entire estate of the late Victor Owusu is said to be insufficient to settle the landlady’s claims. Miss Shadrawy has since Monday 28 October filed a suit through a well-known Kumasi-based solicitor before an Accra High Court. She is seeking among others, a declaration of title to the Cantonments house, an order compelling the administrators of the estate to settle an outstanding indebtedness of 130,000 pounds sterling and an injunction restraining them from interfering with the ownership of the Cantonments house.

In her statement of claim, Miss Shadrawy recounted the sordid facts and her humanitarian attitude, which culminated in the debt owed her. She said it was ingratitude of the worst kind that Victor’s family is taking advantage of her good spiritedness. According to her she had had to settle outgoings on the property, which were the responsibility of Victor.

The landlady’s writ of summons and a statement of claim have been served on the administrators of Victor’s estate, namely Nana Owusu Boatemaa (Victor’s daughter) and Mrs Agnes Owusu (wife of Victor) in Accra and that the court might be moved on 18 November 2002 for the commencement of legal battles in the case.