There is escalating tension at Asamankese following unveiling of a parallel Chief Osabarima kantenka Ateabisa Pobi Asomani as legitimate chief of Asamankese traditional area by Royal Akua Korang lineage of Abrade Akwamu Clan of Asamankese.
Osabarima Ateabisa Kantenka Asomaning formerly Barima Pobi Asomaning,Aworashene, and Osabarima Adu Darko III are both claiming legitimacy to the Asamankese stool for many years.
The years of chieftaincy dispute in Asamankese has led to many bloody clashes in the past affecting development in the area.
Osabarima Adu Darko III is reported to have been gazetted.
But the Royal family has rejected the gazzette stating that it was fraudulently done without due traditional processes.
Counsel for the Osabarima Ateabisa Kantenka Asomaning has described the Gazette as fake.
Agbotey John ESQ, the Lawyer explains that the alleged gazzette is fraught with flaws and fraudulent procedure which is going to be challenged in court.
“We have sighted a gazette and it fraught with flaws and mistakes.Cearly it tells you that somebody somewhere is pretending to have issued the gazette which for us is fraudulent and that one too is also in contempt of court and it is one of the various contempt actions we are going to take going forward.If you look at the gazette everything about it is different even the process at the time the gazette was issued they did not agreed with the judgement of the judicial committee of the Abuakwa Judicial Council but they had gone ahead to the Eastern regional traditional council ( judicial committee) for that matter and have filed an appeal and the appeal was pending , it was during the pendency of the appeal that they were supposed to have gotten gazetted so how does this conforms with the rules and laws and procedures ,so clearly it is an act in contempt of court” the Lawyer stated
He also said all persons and institutions that took part in the flawed process will be cited for multiple contempt cases.
“The processes we have initiated now is leading to taking over or executing the judgement or the orders of the court as it was given , you know chieftaincy matters do not go to court originally the main court of competent jurisdiction.They go to a judicial committee of traditional council that is where we went and we had victory”
“then they did not understand they went to file a judicial review application seeking to quash the decision of the judicial committee of the traditional council but they failed in that matter
They still went ahead to hold themselves as chief and elders of Asamankese .We cited them for contempt and they were found guilty they are still holding themselves as chiefs and elders of Asamankese so now what we are doing from henceforth is that we are going to have multiple applications of contempt in court because we are citing them for contempt in each and every act they have done that is against the decision and the orders of the court”.
Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, has meanwhile said Osabarima Adu Darko III is legitimate Chief of Asamankese who has dully sworn oath of allegiance to him ,therefore, described the purported installation of Osabarima Kentenka Ateabisa Pobi as Asamankese Chief amidst violence as “unlawful, irregular, uncustomary, being an aberration of Akyem Abuakwa custom and therefore null, void and of no effect.
However,addressing the media, the Abusuapanyin of Royal Akua Korang lineage of Abrade Akwamu Clan of Asamankese, Opanyin Kwasi Asare ,said all necessary legal steps taken from judicial committee of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council to the Regional House of Chiefs and Koforidua High Court were declared in their favour ,therefore, the nomination, installation and enstoolment of Osabarima Kentenka Ateabisa Pobi Asomaning as Asamankesehene is in line with Akwamu culture and legitimate.
Therefore ,Osabarima Kentenka Ateabisa Pobi Asomaning must henceforth be recognized as Asamankesehene.
Meanwhile,the Registrar of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs Mr. Richmond Persawu says ,processes for gazette were initiated by Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council which presented the candidate to the Research Committee of the Regional House of Chiefs , then moved to the standing committee before finally laid before the house for approval for the Registrar to send same to he National House of Chiefs for gazette.
He therefore said it makes no sense for the Registrar to be accused of conniving.
He said ,on records of the Regional House of chiefs ,there is no pending chieftaincy case emanating from Asamankese which is before the house.
Source :Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
