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Regional News of Friday, 26 September 2003

Source: GNA

Over eight Houses demolished at Tuba

Tuba Junction (GAR), Sept. 25, GNA - Over eight houses at various stages of development and completed ones have been demolished at Tuba Junction near Ngleshie Amanfro, in the Ga District.

Speaking to the GNA at the site on Thursday, occupants and residents of the area said they were awaken from sleep at about 0400 hours on Wednesday by a group of land guards led by one Black Moro, a former soldier of the 64 Reserve Battalion, Red Moro and one Ahmed with some members of the "Living Testimonies Bible Ministry" located in the vicinity led by someone they only identified as Paul.

The residents said they were ordered out of their rooms and the houses demolished with an earth moving equipment.

According to the residents, the land guards, who were armed with cutlasses and other implements and the members of the Church said they were acting on the orders of the Pastor of the Ministry, Reverend Joe Biney.

They said the land guards and the Church members subjected them to severe beatings while the earth moving equipment demolished the buildings.

The residents said while the exercise was going on, the land guards stole their personal effects and various sums of money. The case was reported to the Dansoman Division of the Police Service, who arrested Rev Biney, some members of the Church and the land guards.

The residents said another Pastor, the Reverend Moses Addae of the "School of Jesus Christ", resident of Kalabule Junction also near Ngleshie Amanfro carried out a similar operation in the area in the early hours of last Sunday.

They claimed that 25 truckloads of stones and the same quantity of sand were collected from the site of developers.

When contacted by the GNA, the Crime Officer of Dansoman Police, Mr Osei, confirmed the story and the arrest of Rev Biney and Pastor Addae, but said they had been released on bail.

The Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Azu, who had visited the scene was attending a meeting of Divisional Commanders with the top brass of the Service at the Police Headquarters and could not be reached for his comments about the incident.

The residents conceded that even though there is litigation over the land before court, it had not ordered the demolishing of the buildings.

They accused the Pastors of claiming they have the support of top Police Officers at the Head Quarters and appealed to the Inspector General of Police to ensure their security and that of their property.

The residents and property owners urged the Police Administration to institute an investigation into the matter and the involvement of top officers of the Service to avert bloodshed and confusion in the area, since they would use all means at their disposal to resist the activities of the Pastors and their land guards.