Tension is brewing in and around Adjiringanor in East Legon after a group of alleged armed land guards stormed the area to carry out a demolition of some properties without a court order.
The incident which occurred at about 11:30pm on Friday did not only see the demolition of properties under construction, but also the shooting of workers at the site.
The said demolition exercise, which was believed to be done illegally since there was no Court order ordering such an exercise, was allegedly sanctioned by the former Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority, and one-time Board Chairman of GRA, Kwame Owusu.
Kwame Owusu who was said to have called for the services of the said land guards, is laying claim to parcel of land in the area for which the action was staged to ensure that the owners of the land do not have a free way to develop their land.
Information gathered was that the ‘Kwame Owusu-thugs’ stormed the land with an excavator and a payloader with Registration No. 5869-19 and armed with dangerous weapons amid firing of gunshots which scared workers away and even some residents living around the vicinity.
The armed thugs who were ready to kill judging from their actions at the site, shot one person believe to be one of the workers on the site; sustaining serious injury at the leg and was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital for treatment. He is still on Admission.
Interestingly, three persons belonging to the gang of persons he allegedly contracted to carry out the demolition exercise have been arrested by the East Legon Police Command.
Their arrest came to the land owners and residents as good news since they will breathe a sigh of relief from the threats and atrocities of these Landguards but things turn out differently when information allegedly came from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare instructing the East Legon Police Commander to release the suspects arrested on bail.
Although many residents believe the incident including the shooting of the workers is criminal and for that matter, the suspects must be arraigned before Court, the IGP this paper has gathered, was at the East Legon Police station in person to ensure the release of the suspects.
The development did not go down well with residents and owners of the property who believe the interference of the IGP was uncalled for and that what the IGP should have done was to ensure that the matter is processed for court.
Justice at the moment is hanging as the victim of the shooting is languishing in pains at the 37 Military Hospital whilst the perpetrators of the act are walking free, just because of a supposed “Order from Above,” and Kwame Owusu’s affiliation to the powers that be.
The tussle over land
This paper has established that the tussle over the said land begun as far back as 2017 when Rainsford Addoquaye Addotey, Nii Laryea Botwe II and King Dr Odaifio Welentsi III (Plaintiffs/Judgement Debtor) filed a case against Falcon Crest Investment Limited, Samuel Kofi Diame and Numo Adjei Kwanko II.
In their submissions at the court, the Applicant indicated that they have been in possession of the said property since 2008 by a grant from the Numo Nmashie family and Tsie We family and to enter judgement and make consequential orders against them without giving them the opportunity to be heard is contrary to the law.
Hence, the Applicant filed to stay proceedings pending the determination of the Application.
It emerged however that, Kwame Owusu during the course of the trial, filed to join Falcon Crest Investment Limited to fight the Applicant in this case.
However, Falcon Crest Investment Limited lost and the Applicants secured an Order of Possession on May 13, 2022 over the said parcel of land.
This paper gathered that; Kwame Owusu who is laying claim to the said land claims to have secured an Injunction against Falcon Crest Investment Limited over the said parcel of land; which by the details does not belong to Falcon Crest Investment.
Sources have revealed that, Kwame Owusu before the whole legal tussle approached the owners of the land for negotiations but he was informed to contact the new owners since the land had been sold out to another person for amicable engagement and settlement should the new owner is willing to sell the land to him (Kwame Owusu.)
Interestingly, Kwame Owusu failed to do the needful but rather decided to seek the services of armed land guards to help him take undue possession of the land, with the assistance from the police hierarchy.
