Ken Agyapong on property grabbing spree

The Republic newspaper has uncovered a plot by Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the vitriolic Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, to forcefully wrest a landed property located in Kwadaso, Kumasi, from the family of a dead man at all cost, including issuing death threats via telephone.

The Assin North MP and a top ranking member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) known for his controversial views, has been cited for sending thugs to the disputed property to destroy valuables in a bid to frustrate the owners out, even though a Kumasi Circuit court has thrown out an application of his claim over the property.

The property involved in the tussle is currently being occupied by one George Bonsu Agyei, the son of a certain Freeborn Kwabena Agyei Snr. who died a few years ago. The building is located on plot 12, Atwima Amanfrom Road, Odeneho Kwadaso in Kumasi.

Apparently, Kennedy Agyapong had connived with another son (Freeborn Kwabena Agyei Jnr.) of the deceased to clandestinely purchase the property without the knowledge of the widow and other children of the late Kwabena Agyei Snr..

Information available to this newspaper indicates that unknown to his other siblings and the widow, the Assin North MP allegedly gave Freeborn Kwabena Agyei some money to buy his family house and later transferred the property to Mr. Agyapong in a carefully arranged strategy.

The Republic can confirm that the case was dragged to a Kumasi Circuit court in 2013 where the Assin North MP filed an application to evict the widow and children but failed, as the court threw out his application on March 5, 2014.

This is confirmed by Hayfron-Benjamin & Co, the solicitors of the family fighting to keep their inherited property in a letter dated June 4, 2014 and addressed to the Registrar of the Kumasi Circuit court.

In his affidavit of claims to the Kumasi court, Mr. Agyapong alluded to the fact that, “after the necessary applications through letters of administration,” the widow and her children were given a first option of purchasing the disputed property. Freeborn Kwabena Agyei Jnr. is said to have purchased the property and resold it to Hon. Ken Agyapong.

He confirmed this sale in his affidavit in support of his claims filed on November 19, 2014 saying; “The 2nd applicant, Freeborn Kwabena Agyei Jnr. has also sold same [the property] to me.”

But the family of Mr. Kwabena Agyei Jnr. contend that he could not have bought that land because at the time he is claimed to have bought the land, he had no money and was struggling to raise money to travel to the USA.

In an affidavit filed at the Kumasi Circuit court in December 2013 to oppose Mr. Agyapong’s claims, George Bonsu Agyei (the brother of Kwabena Agyei) disputed what has been described as a ‘shambolic’ sale, he said, “I am completely unaware of the purported sale of the property in dispute to my brother…I am also unaware of the purported sale of the said property by Freeborn Kwabena Agyei Jnr. to the applicant herein [Ken Agyapong] and that not a pesewa of the proceeds from the said purported sales has come to me to date.”

Despite the evidence against him, George Agyei told the Republic newspaper that the embattled MP has frequently sent thugs to harass them in their house and has followed up with threats to his life “… exactly on the 19th of May 2014, spearheaded by my brother, three macho-men unlawfully broke into my residence during my absence and caused extensive damages to the estate at large and my personal belongings which I have as evidence. According to my brother, when he was summoned to the police station – he confessed that Honourable Kennedy Ohene Agyapong had been giving him pressure to release or deliver the house to him,” he told this paper.

“… the last call I had was on the month of June [2014] and it came from the man who introduced himself as Honourable Kennedy Ohene Agyapong and threatened that if I don’t come for my belongings from the house by 4pm the next day – he would mobilize macho-men to intrude on my house because the house now belongs to him,” he continued his narration.

“…as of now, I don’t even know where my belongings are. Especially my passport, certificates and other important documents that were in my room before the unexpected incident happened. Again, upon the arrests of the suspects in the said residence on the 20th May 2014 – one of them confessed that they are cowboys from Ahonjo Kumasi, hired to commit a crime for a fee of 120 Ghanaian cedis. These suspects were caught smoking in the hall of my residence just prior to the arrests.”

The Republic has been unable to reach the embattled MP.

Meanwhile, the visibly frightened George Agyei is appealing for protection from people he claim have threatened his life over the property, “Following the recent surge in contract killings and assassinations in the country, I am highly praised to humbly appeal to the president of the nation, the chief justice, the president of the supreme courts, the IGP, national security, human rights activists in all continents to please pay heed to my plight by making a thorough investigation into the story.”

“…in my own wisdom it is very childish and uncivilized when, in this more than democratic world take the law into their own hands because they think they are untouchable figures and politicians, because of their wealth and status, and that they can always use their clout to influence a decision or judgment in some formal institutions with professionals in our various public services,” he stated.