Police surround Berekum Gyaasehene?s palace

The latest information reaching the Brong Ahafo Bureau of The Chronicle from Berekum Police indicated that the security including the police and military were yesterday surrounded the Palace of Gyaasehene and the old palace of Berekum suspected to be venue earmarked by the seven Divisional Chiefs to install one Mr. John Atta Nyamekye as a rival Paramount Chief of the Berekum Traditional Area (BTA).

In all 145-armed police including ten senior officers and 23 soldiers were deployed in the town to maintain peace and order.

Speaking to The Chronicle, the Police Divisional Commander in charge of Berekum, Chief Superintendent Christian Kwomi Dedzo revealed that the police had arrested three persons from the palace of Gyaasehene, who were found beating fontonfrom drums.

He said, ?These persons were also seen wearing red bands.

He named those arrested as Michael Adu Poku, 21, Clifford Akofo Dartey, 20 and Kofi Dartey, 56.

At the time of the interview, Mr. Dedzo hinted that a docket has been prepared to charge the three before a Circuit Court at Fiapre, near Sunyani.

The Chronicle in contact with one of the elders from the seven chiefs condemned the arrest of their men.

According to him, yesterday, being Monday was a day in Akan tradition called ?Fordjuor?, which normally observe in chiefs palace.

The paper was told that on this day some certain rites are performed and fontonfrom drums are beating and therefore, he could not see the reason why the police should described the act as breach of public order.

He however revealed that they would get their counsel to handle that aspect.

Meanwhile, the police Commander said the security is now firm on the ground to combat any situation at Berekum.

It would be called that The Chronicle on last Wednesday August 11 in its lead story captioned ?Berekum Heads For Bloodshed?, where some seven divisional chiefs led by the Krontihene of Berekum decided to install a rival paramount chief for Berekum.

The seven chiefs with three out of four royal gates of Berekum, claiming to be the majority said they would never recognize Dr. Leo-Ofori, now installed as a paramount chief of the area under a stool name Dasebere Amankwana Dewuo.

According to the Krontihene?s faction, the substantive case on the Berekum chieftaincy dispute was still pending at the Judicial Committee of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs and therefore, the Queen mother, Nana Akua Ameahene could not install her brother as the paramount chief.