Residents of Akyem Bontodiase in the Akyemansa District of the Eastern Region were left in fear after being attacked by armed hoodlums in the early hours of the morning.
According to the victims, these unidentified men, believed to be land guards from Greater Accra, seized large quantities of dried cocoa beans during the raid.
Eyewitnesses described how the attackers, fully armed and built, stormed their homes, assaulted them, and made off with their cocoa beans without offering any explanation. “They attacked us, beat us, and took away the cocoa beans we had worked so hard to dry,” one resident recounted.
The residents suspect that the attack is linked to an ongoing chieftaincy dispute in the town, which has a population of fewer than 20,000. The town currently has two rival chiefs, and tensions have been rising over the divided leadership.
The victims reported the incident to the Ofoase police, but claim no action has been taken so far. They are now calling on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, to urgently intervene. “We have reported to the police, but no officer has come to investigate. We need the IGP to come to our rescue,” one of the victims pleaded.
In the wake of the attack, one of the town’s chiefs, Nana Obeng Akari Asiedu, accused his rival, Obrempong Adarkwah Gyamena II, of being behind the raid. “I believe my rival has a hand in this attack. I call on the police and the paramount chief of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area to ensure justice is served,” Nana Obeng Akari Asiedu stated.
However, Obrempong Adarkwah Gyamena II has denied any involvement in the attack, dismissing the accusations as mere hatred from the opposing faction. “I have nothing to do with this. It’s all baseless accusations fueled by hatred,” he said.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
