Sources of information gathered by Mybrytfmonline.com indicate that there is heightened tension between the family of the late S. B Ofori and the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly in the Eastern Region.
Furious family members and cross-section of the youth in Akropong have accused the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly of defying court orders to go ahead and start a project on a disputed land without using the right processes.
The Akuapim North Municipal Assembly according to sources of information gathered by this reporter has defied court order only to start a project on stolen land to which the court has prohibited them from. On the 23rd day of July, the Akropong Circuit Court affirmed that no one should carry such an exercise on the land as the court placed an interim injunction on the land.
The late S. B Ofori family (the rightful owners of the land) has placed an order of interim injunction against Sir George Opare Larbi, Mr. Timothy Asiedu who re-registered the land at the Lands Commission to stop him and his agents, including the Akuapim North Municipal Assembly, from continuing any development on the said land but work is steadily in progress despite a court order.
According to the late S. B Ofori family led by Abusuapanyin Kwame Apenteng and Opanyin Mark Yaw Agyei Ofori, who happens to be the rightful owners of the land, they said, their forefathers under the auspices of the late S. B. Ofori acquired the land in the 1960s and they registered it in 2000 but surprisingly one Sir George Opare Larbi and his counterpart Mr. Timothy Asiedu has nicodemously re-registered the land in his name.
Due to this there is growing tension between the late S. B Ofori Family and Sir George Opare Larbi and Mr. Timothy Asiedu, as the late S. B Ofori Family accused the Akuapim North Municipal District Assembly of unlawfully taking over their lands.
The court has duly injuncted the Assembly to stay off until the case is determined but the Assembly led by the MCE, Barima Asiedu Larbi, has defied the court directive and with impunity, they continue to work for close to three weeks now. Abusuapanyin Kwame Apenteng narrated.
“We are really worried because, despite a court order, the Akuapim North Municipal Assembly is still working, so we want to know if some people are above the law?” Abusuapanyin Kwame Apenteng asked?
Workers are still busy on-site working despite the Court order being in force.
Some youth members in the Akropong township who spoke to the reported indicates they are not going to fold their arms and watch the Akuapem North Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Barima Asiedu Larbi, forcibly take the said without using the proper procedure to acquire the land from rightful owners (the family of late S. B Ofori).
According to the youth stealing and land, fraud has become rampant in and around the Municipality in recent times bringing insecurity to the community.
Meanwhile, when the Akuapem North Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Barima Asiedu Larbi, was contacted on the phone he declines to comment on the matter saying “I don’t want to say anything on the land”.
Abusuapanyin Kwame Apenteng is appealing to Eastern Regional Minister to ensure that justice is served to them as they have been robbed of their hard-earned sweat.
Background of the Land
The parcel of the land is situated at Akropong, measuring acreage of 9.73 acres and the subject of a deed of gift registered at the lands commission, Koforidua with Land Registry Number 1556/2000 and bounded by the Mamfe – Akropong roadside on one side.
In the early 1960s, the late Mr. S. B Ofori purchased the land in dispute from one Okyeame Asiedu and Abena Korkor and several other adjoining lands to form a 12-acre parcel of land for farming purposes.
According to Abusuapanyin Kwame Apenteng, the late Mr. S. B Ofori planted foodstuffs and later converted the farm into a palm plantation which still exists on the land but the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly has destroyed all the palm trees and other crops on the said land only to paved way for the ongoing project on it despite court injunction on the land.
When S. B Ofori died, he was succeeded by one Alfred Anaafi Sakyi who in turn gifted the said property to the family and children.
These gifts were given to the executors and trustees of the estate of the late S. B Ofori, by a deed of gift which was subsequently registered with the Lands Commission, Koforidua office in the year 2000 with Land Registry No. 1556/2000.
The late S. B Ofori family had been in undisturbed possession of the land until sometime in early 2020 when they received notice that other persons have started claiming the land as belonging to them.
A searched was conducted and the results showed that the land in question has been re-registered by the Lands Commission in Koforidua had registered large portions of the land in the name of other persons without reference to their prior registration.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com
