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The claimant to the Gbese Stool, Nii Ayi Bonte, known in his private life as Thomas Okine, is in serious trouble as far as his legitimacy to the throne is concern. He has sworn an affidavit pledging to withdraw from all the Gbese litigations if indeed, Nii Okaijah III, his contender is able to provide an agreement letter signed by the heads of the third ruling house that passed on the seat to the second ruling house to make him (Nii Okaijah III) the legitimate Gbese Mantse. Thomas Okine, who has lost several court cases to Nii Okaijah III, with the Supreme Court unanimously declaring that he is unfit to occupy the throne, is still adamant to the pronouncements of the Court, insisting that there was no such letter passing on the stool from the third ruling house, Nii Akwetey Saki Krobo We, to the second ruling house, Nii Tetteh Ankamah We, where Nii Okaija III hails from. However, information gathered indicated that Thomas Okine by all intends and purposes does not hail from any of the three ruling houses that made up Gbese, Nii Akwetey Saki Krobo We, Pensiaku We and the Nii Tetteh Ankamah We, since documents available does not make reference to any house known as Akua Onidin/ Akwetey Krobo Saki, where he claims to have hailed from. Interestingly, Thomas Okine filed a motion at the Ga Traditional Council, attached with an affidavit he signed, demanding for the said letter. The letter which was duly provided, raises questions as to whether Thomas Okine, being an honourable man will go by his affidavit. In an affidavit attached to the motion he filed at the Ga Traditional Council, on 29th September, 2014, Thomas Okine stated that, "I am advised and verily believe that by the procedural rules, once a document has been referred to in a Party's pleading or affidavit, the opposing party is entitled to inspect and take copies of that document. But curiously, although the letter is an obvious trump card in the Defendant's hands (or his lawyer's hands, since the lawyer must have seen and read it before pleading it in paragraph 8 for its relevant effect). But the Defendant (and more surprisingly, his lawyer) has failed so far to produce the letter for my inspection, or better still for them to make a photocopy for me or my lawyer. About five months' failure to comply with my request for inspection or for a photocopy could only mean that the letter is fictitious or non-existence, and pleaded only to mislead this Judicial Committee; or that if it exists at all, (which is denied) the content of that letter are against the Defendant. It is also important that the letter (if true, but against me) may be one which may compel me to withdraw or discontinue this action promptly, to avoid a waste of time and reduce cost. The letter is one which cuts both ways, hence its overriding importance." The Letter A copy of the said letter written on 19th September, 2006 and signed by Nii Akwetey Krobo Saki III, Family Head of the Nii Akwetey Krobo Saki We (Gbese third Royal Ruling House), and addressed to the Acting Dzase Tse, copied to the heads of the other two ruling houses, which is in our possession reads," ENSTOOLMENT OF NEW GBESE MANTSE: Following the handing over of the Gbese Stools and Regalia etc. to Nii Akwetey Saki Krobo We, the third ruling House after Pensiaku We (Shia Wulu) and Nii Tetteh Ankama We, please take note that we have whole heartedly acknowledged and appreciate this customary arrangements. However, we wish to bring to your attention and the Kingmakers that presently we have no ready candidate to put up for his enstoolment as the next Gbese Mantse. In order not to derail the 1941 Gbese Rotation Succession arrangement Nii Akwetey Krobo Saki Royal House had by internal arrangement agreed to pass this on to the Nii Tetteh Ankama Royal Ruling House for now and stand by as the next Ruling House after them. It is our hope that this internal arrangement between our two Royal Ruling Houses shall be considered in good faith since it fittingly conforms to the Gbese Royal Rotation Succession arrangement." This letter, as this paper has gathered, has been duly made available to Thomas Okine and his lawyers. The Supreme Court Ruling It could be recall that, the Supreme Court which was presided over by a five member jury under the Chairmanship of Justice Jones Dotse declared that the Regional House of Chief's rulling dated 17th February 2003 is null and void. It was upon this judgement that Thomas Okine was enstooled as Gbese Mantse whilst Nii Okaija III was in office as Gbese Mantse. Nii Okaija III is indeed the legitimate Gbese Mantse. The 5-0 ruling has made Nii Okaija III to assume his position as the Adontenhene of the Ga State. Deletion of Thomas Okine's Name From Register In view of the ongoing developments, the National House of Chiefs has officially removed Thomas Okine, a.k.a Nii Ayi Bonte, claimant to the Gbese Stool, whose Serial Number on the National Register of Chiefs was No. 550, name from the National Register of Chiefs. He was approved by the House of chiefs on 20th March 2013, as Gbese Divisional Chief of the people of Ga. But, his position was contested for years, until the Supreme Court ruling which nullified his position as the legitimate Gbese Mantse. The National House of Chiefs at its meeting held on July 16th, 2014, took the decision to remove Nii Ayi Bonte II of Gbese Palace from the register. The document which was signed by A. K. Essien, Acting Registrar at the National House of Chiefs confirmed the removal of his name. The document with Reference number: NH/GAR. 1/V. 10/14 indicated that the deletion of his name was by the decision of the full house on 16th July 2014. The Gbese Chieftaincy Case After 33 years of the Gbese disputes, the Supreme Court having consolidated all the Gbese cases, gave a unanimous (5-0) judgement that the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs (GARHC) judgement dated 17th February 2003 �Is declared nullity the same having been given without jurisdiction." The same unanimous 5-0 Supreme Court judgement was further affirmed unanimously by 7-0, at a Review on the 26th February 2014. It is upon this Greater Accra Regional House of Chief�s judgement dated 17th February 2003, which Tommy Okine was enstooled as Gbese Mantse; at the time when Nii Okaija III was still in office. It is on record that the Traditional Council RESTRAINED Thomas Okine from holding himself out as the Gbese Mantse in Suit No. GTC/JC6/2008 dated 8th August 2008. The Judicial Committee Chairman was Nii Dodoo Nsaki II who is the present Acting President of the Ga Traditional Council. Information is that the order �Shall last pending the determination of the matters raised herein.� The order still stands, as confirmed by the judgement of Ofori Atta, J, in his ruling in Suit No. AP 164 2010 dated 23rd February 2012, which states that �since it has not been overruled, then Thomas Okine is still bound by it.� The Three Ruling Houses Thomas Okine does NOT come from any of the THREE Royal Ruling Houses of Gbese, according to the Deed of Agreement of 1941. According to Thomas Okine, he hails from Akua Onidin/ Akwetey Krobo Saki We which does NOT exist in the 1941 Deed of Agreement; ONLY Akwetey Krobo Saki does. The question The lingering question is, will Thomas Okine respect his own Affidavit when he stated clearly, his intentions provided the letter of transfer of power to the second ruling house exist? "It is also important that the letter (if true, but against me) may be one which may compel me to withdraw or discontinue this action promptly, to avoid a waste of time and reduce cost," he stated.