There seems to be an unsettled controversy over the Nungua chieftancy in the Greater-Accra region as Nii Bortelabi Borkete- Larweh XIV, ‘traditionally’ and ‘legally’ installed Mantse of the area has dragged a certain Odaifio Welentsi III also known as Justice Nii Laryefio Akatoi to the Accra High Court for ‘styling’ himself as the chief of Nungua.
According to a High Court summons, the defendant (Odaifio Welentse III) since 1994 has been fraudulently parading himself as the Nungua Mantse “when in fact nobody has been appointed as such”.
According to the writ, per the plaintiff’s claims a letter dated 16th June 1994 from the Ga Traditional Council to the Nungua Divisional Council as at now revealed no person is recognized as the Nungua Mantse.
Moreover, on the 23rd March 1999, the elders of Oswe Stool (where the defendant Mr. Akatoi belonged) stated categorically that they had not enstooled any chief since 1991 and the defendant however did not challenge.
Another part of the summons further reads that, “by a letter dated AACTC/ VOL. 2/46 19thMay,2005 from the Greater-Accra Regional Registrar stated that from 23rd April, 1992 to date, there is no Nungua who is a member of the Greater –Accra House of Chiefs”.
With these, the Accra High Court cited the defendant for contempt of court, convicted and sentenced him to a fine of GH 2,500 cedis and same cost for disobeying the Court’s prohibitive order not to portray himself as a member of the Ga Traditional Council.
However, exhibits and affidavits sworn at the Accra High Court by lawyers of Nii Bortelabi, and in his defense claim he is the “duly, elected, selected and registered Paramount Chief of the Nungua Traditional Area with the stool name Dr. King Odaifio Welentse III”, and that, there had been several attempts by his detractors to set aside registration of his title but had woefully failed.
According to him, the suit against him was frivolous, vexatious, and abuse of court processes.
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