<<Print>>

Prince Kofi Kludjeson, one-time majority shareholder in Celltell Limited, now Kasapa Telecom Limited, has been arrested by the Greater Accra Regional Police Headquarters. He was arrested alongside 19 macho men and detained at the Regional Headquarters of the Command in Accra. The businessman is being held for allegedly organizing thugs to invade the premises of Kasapa Limited in a bid to forcefully take over the company. In the process, the Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio Atingah, said the macho men injured several of the workers during the early hours of Tuesday July 7, 2009. She however could not tell the number of injured persons but said some of them were hospitalized. DCOP Bio Atingah said her men had a very hectic time restraining the rioters, adding that Prince Kludjeson attempted three weeks ago to forcefully possess the company, using a fictitious court order. She noted that a legal battle over the ownership of the company was still before court, explaining that she could not fathom why the feuding parties could not wait until judgment was passed on the matter. Prince Kludjeson, the CEO of Kludjeson International Limited (KIL), which used to own Celltel Limited, sought to claim back its majority shareholding in Kasapa Telecom Limited, which is currently wholly owned by Hutchison Telecom. The legal battle between the two companies dates back to June 2007, with Kludjeson International Limited accusing Hutchison of fraudulently acquiring 100% shares of the company through false representation. Hutchison Whampoa Group, a Hong-Kong based company, acquired 80% of Celltel Limited in 1998, and in 2003, changed the brand to Kasapa and the company name to Kasapa Telecom Limited. In January 2005, Kasapa became a wholly owned subsidiary of Hutchison Telecom.