2 Conspire To Defraud State Of GH0.76m As Judgement Debt

Nana Sankrakye Attah, Head of the Bentiemena Clan of Buem in the Jasikan District of the Volta Region, has accused two persons of making false claims to �defraud� the state of GH760,000 for land acquired by the colonial government in 1943 without paying compensation to the land owners.

He said that lawyer Seth Mensah Dumoga, who was not known to the clan, had colluded with Mr. Emmanuel Ofori from Vakpo, also in the Volta Region, to secure a default judgement of Gh760,000 as judgement debt from the Ho High Court on behalf of the land owners of Jasikan without his knowledge and consent as Abusapanin (Head of family).

He has therefore, asked the government, through the Judgement Debt Commission, not to pay compensation to anybody since the two person were making unjustifiable claims which could disturbed the peace of the area if the amount was not paid to the rightful owners.

Testifying to the Commission yesterday, Nana Sankrakye Attah said that as soon as he was made the head of Bentiemena family, he gave the Power of Attorney to Mr. Emmanuel Ofori to continue negotiations with the Lands Commission for the payment of compensation for 32.68 acres of and government had acquired for the construction of the Jasikan District Assembly offices and junior staff bungalows among others.

According to him, the Lands Commission, after its assessment agreed to pay GH42,170 as compensation but his further search revealed that the lands acquired by the state were more than the 32.68 and that taking the money on behalf of his clan, would deny others of their legitimate claims which could lead to anarchy in the area in the foreseeable future.

Nana Sankrakye said that immediately Emmanuel Ofori collected the Power of Attorney, he vanished and had since not been seen only for him (Ofori) to connive with a legal practitioner by name Seth Dumoga to take the government to court to secure a default judgement of GH760,000 as judgement debt which he (Sankrakye Attah) did not know anything about.

�My Lord, I did not ask Emmanuel Ofori to pursue the matter at the court. I told him to negotiate with the Lands Commission for settlement but upon a second though, I abandoned the idea because I did not want anybody to accuse me of taking their money from the government,� he said.

Nan Sankrakye suggested that the issue of the said lands be revisited for the proper demarcation and assessment to be made.

Mr. Justice Apau, the Sole Commissioner, instructed that the Jasikan Distinct Assembly and that Volta Regional Lands Officer be subpoenaed to give their side of the story in relation to the acquisition of the lands by the state.

Sitting continues today.

The Ghanaian Times