Chief refutes stolen sheep story and threatens legal action

Sunyani, April 15, GNA - Nana Kutu Ayim Baffuor II, Omanehene of Nsawkaw Traditional Area, has refuted a front page story in an Accra daily newspaper that a sheep intended to be presented to former President Jerry John Rawlings by the chief and people of the area was a stolen one.

He has threatened to take legal action against the paper for publishing an untruth story about the Nsawkaw Stool and asked the paper to apologise and publish a denial, giving it the same prominence it gave to the original story.

The chief told the GNA that it was customary in the area and well observed and understood by the people for the palace to snatch any domestic animal in any part of Nsawkaw as a present to any important visitor to the town.

"The elders will then negotiate with the owner of the animal over its price and he or she is duly paid and this custom has been practiced since time in memorial."

"Nobody stole any sheep and what happened was in line with this custom. The sheep in question was even rejected by the Elders on account of its unsuitability and was released to the owner. The former President did not even see the animal and nothing was presented to him," Nana Baffuor said.

The chief expressed regret that the news item had generated a lot of furore not only in the area but through out the country in view of the many calls he kept on receiving from radio stations and individuals. The paper last week published that the chief and his elders intended to present a stolen sheep to former President Rawlings who was on a visit to the town to thank them for their support for the NDC in the last December Presidential run-off.