Krontihene Sues Okyenhene

The Krontihene (king maker) of Akyem Nkwantanan in the Eastern Region, Baffour, Owusu Aduomi, has dragged the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, to the Koforidua High Court.

Baffour Aduomi is praying the court to stop the Okyenhene from appointing a regent for Nkwantanan, since the town has a substantive chief in the person of Barima Adanse-Akyem Omane.

In a motion on notice to be moved by Yaw Barimah and Co. of Koforidua, lawyers for the applicant, Barima Omane, they are applying for an order of prohibition to prevent Osagyefo Ofori Panin, the Paramount Chief of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, from carrying out his uninformed, uncustomary and unlawful act.

A copy of the motion paper made available to the Daily Graphic at Nkwantanan by Barima Aduomi at the weekend showed an affidavit attaching several exhibits. The main document that attracted the action by the applicant is a letter without reference number but dated January 18, 2010 instructed by the Okyenhene to be written for and on his behalf, appointing one Opanin Kofi Kyei as the regent for Nkwantanan to "steer the affairs of the town until a new chief is installed".

The applicant contended that Barima Omane had his name in the Registrar of Chiefs as the chief of Nkwanntanan. He said in 2002, Obaapanin Abena Frempomaa and Opanin Kwaku Adanse Awusi took some uncustomary steps with the intention of destooling the Nkwantananhene.

The applicant said the matter went before the Judicial Committee of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council on September 12, 2002 and judgement was delivered in favour of Barima Omane. He said on or before January 18, 2010, the respondent purported to have caused the State Secretary to write a letter appointing one Opanin Kofi Kyei of Nkwantanan as the regent of the town.

The applicant contended that the said letter of appointment was addressed to the said Opanin Kofi Kyei of Nkwantanan and was copied to the respondent himself, the District Chief Executive for Kwaebibirem, the Divisional Police Commander in Oda and many other dignitaries.

He contended that a regent was appointed when there was no chief but the letter from the respondent stated that the said respondent purported to hand over the administration of the Nkwantanan town in the customary matters to the said Opanin Kofi Kyei until a new chief was installed. He said by that implication, the respondent was purported to have destooled the chief.

The applicant stated that the respondent could not constitute himself into an appellate judicial committee, thus setting aside the judgement of the Judicial Committee of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council.

"That in the circumstance, I am praying for a judicial review directed at the respondent to bring to court exhibit ‘D’ and quash the said orders of the respondent contained in exhibit 'D' and also to prohibit the respondent from making such further orders by any other means," it said. By the current motion, the applicant contended that the Okyenhene lacked jurisdiction to destool the Nkwantananhene.

Source: Daily Graphic