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Opinions of Tuesday, 14 July 2015

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Is this the Universally Acceptable Procedure, or it’s Just a Nepotistic One for Asantehene Alone?

On Saturday, the 27th of June 2015, I discovered what to me an unusual occurrence was. Most, if not all, the Court judges in Ashanti region, especially those in Kumasi, went to Manhyia Palace. Finding that very unusual, unable to tell if they had called on Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on their own volition to pay him homage, or they had been summoned by him, I decided to conduct a private investigation into the matter.

The findings of my investigation have it that, any judge posted to Ashanti region, especially those going to Kumasi, visit Manhyia Palace to introduce themselves to Asantehene before the commencement of their duty as judges in the region. Moreover, they have to visit Manhyia Palace each time the judges are about to take a recess.

I am yet to find out if this attitude by the judges is self-imposed or it is mandatory by some Act of Law. Do all the court judges in other regions or regional capitals pay homage to, or visit, the regional capital paramount chiefs when they are posted there, or in each time they are just about to take a recess? If they do, why do they? How and when did the process or attitude become a formality? If they don't, why don't they?

Whatever the case is, I am personally not at all enthused with the idea or the practice of judges visiting Manhyia Palace as they do, as stipulated above, should my findings be only credible. Could it not be a perfect opportunity for Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to somehow influence them in a way or the other?

It is on record that Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has more court cases pending against him. Some of the cases have to do with expropriation; selling or leashing lands from Asanteman Divisions where he has no mandate, yet he solely pockets whatever money accrues from the sales or leases of the lands. He has also been colluding with cronies and accomplices to impose wrong candidates through obviously fraudulent manners, on some Asanteman Divisions as their paramount chief. A classical example is what is going on in Kumawu of which I have constantly not only been publishing my views, but also, updating readers on the turn of events.

Why should he be granted that unique or near-institutional opportunity, with the possibility to financially or otherwise induce the judges behind closed doors, to pronounce judgments in his favour even though he may clearly be seen and judged guilty by the public when the evidence and facts available become public knowledge?

Could this not be the reason why cases involving him or his cronies suffer repeated, if not unnecessary, adjournments, or are thrown out of court by judges without offering cogent reasons for their actions? Is this the reason why Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is captured on video bragging endlessly about there being no court in Ghana that is able to reverse the decisions he takes no matter how unreasonable or illegal a section of the community may see them?

The fact it has become a procedure for judges to confer with him, he should not see it as a process of bestowing powers on him to behave dubiously. Many a Ghanaian, especially an Ashanti, is aware of his dishonesty dating from his sojourning in the Civilized Western world.

I am watching how things will turn out in the court cases where Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and his cronies, are the defendants.

He must bear in mind that no matter what he does, with or without the colluding governmental support he is receiving from his known "yen ntie obiaa" buddy, God will expose him, punish him big time for obstinately trying to rewrite the history of Kumawu. He will never succeed in his acts of waywardness. He can at the moment fleece Kumawu of their lands and money. Nonetheless, he will cough out everything he fraudulently takes from Kumawuman by the help of his puppet, the alleged Kumawuhene.

Are the judges helping him to reap from where he has not sown?

Rockson Adofo