Mr. Anthony Nyame, District Chief Executive (DCE) of the Atwima Kwanwoma District in the Ashanti Region, who won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) primary last Saturday with 206 votes, has done the unthinkable.
He has allegedly assaulted a perceived supporter of his main opponent in the primary, one Anthony Owusu, who was punched in his left eye.
The DCE, who is also the benefactor of Owusu, beat Nana Nkrumah, a Heman-based hotelier who polled 96 votes at the polls held at Twedie in the constituency.
The NDC candidate could not stand an alleged show of support by Owusu for Nana Nkrumah, even though he (DCE) was providing accommodation for him (Owusu) at his HN42 residence at Heman.
Owusu, who is neither a delegate nor an NDC member, told The Chronicle that just after the primary, he returned home only to receive a message from four co-tenants that the DCE had instructed him (Owusu) to pack bag and luggage and leave the house.
He said before they could act in response to the DCE�s order, four people, including the DCE�s drivers, who he mentioned as Ato, Atta, Kontro and Ebow, pounced on him and subjected him to severe beatings, until he escaped to safety around midnight on that fateful Saturday.
As result of the incident, he quickly sought Nana Nkrumah�s assistance with regards to accommodation, to which he obliged, and offered him accommodation.
It was when he had returned to the DCE�s residence on Sunday morning to pack off his belongings that the DCE assaulted Owusu, and gave him a hefty punch in his left eye, after which he ordered the windows and door to Owusu�s room barricaded to prevent him from taking any personal effects away.
He said the DCE might have conceived the idea that once he (Owusu) was attending to Nana Nkrumah�s poultry, it was natural that he was supporting his bid against the DCE.
According to Owusu, the DCE has been his benefactor for over ten years, as compensation for the support he gave the DCE in the 2004 and 2008 campaigns. He said he had been brought to attend to the DCE�s piggery, which he runs alongside the poultry of Nana Nkrumah.
The Asokwa police in Kumasi, last Sunday, issued a medical form to Owusu, after he had lodged a formal complaint against the DCE. Owusu has since received medical treatment.
DCE Nyame has since the incident switched off his cell phones to avoid any inquisition from the media. At the time of filing this report, he had not responded to a text message requesting his side of the incident.
Meanwhile, a sober Mr. Nyame has, by inference, admitted to the assault charge during a radio programme, and would not want his victim to carry out his threat of invoking a deity against him.
He also told listeners of Fox FM in Kumasi, on Monday, that Owusu owed electricity payment, which must be settled before he moves out. Mr. Nyame also accused his victim of stealing his coconut and pilfering in the house, as well as being parasitic by depending on him (DCE) even for Pepsodent.
But, Owusu says the GH�52.47 electricity bill stands in the name of the all tenants who should be held collectively for its settlement.
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