A growing call has been made for the Acting Chief Justice (CJ) of Ghana’s Judiciary, Mr. Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, to intensify monitoring and oversight of trial cases related to land and chieftaincy disputes in various courts in the Greater Accra Region.
In response to the rising concerns, the CJ has been urged to implement a policy that mandates live broadcasts of trials involving land and chieftaincy disputes.
This measure is seen as crucial in tackling the increasing corruption within the judiciary, particularly in high-profile cases.
This call follows reports of escalating tensions and confusion in several communities in Accra, fueled by allegations that a business tycoon has been influencing court rulings related to land and chieftaincy issues.
The business tycoon, whose name is withheld, is a Nzema by tribe and resides in Cantonment, Accra.
The tycoon has reportedly been involved in manipulating court judgments, causing significant concern among local youths and property developers in the region.
It is alleged that the tycoon has been using his influence to help wealthy individuals in Accra unlawfully seize land from poorer residents in areas like Nungua, Teshie, Ofankor, and Ngleshie Alata.
Sources claim that the tycoon frequently invited judges and staff from the Judiciary Service to his private residence in Cantonment for social gatherings after helping him secure favorable judgments.
Further allegations suggest that he has even sent some of these judges and lawyers on trips to Dubai for leisure.
The youth in areas such as Nungua, Teshie, Ofankor, Ngleshie Alata, Cantonment, Labone, La, and Labadi have strongly condemned the tycoon’s actions.
They are now calling on CJ Baffoe-Bonnie to take immediate action by collaborating with the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to install CCTV cameras in strategic locations around the Cantonment area. The youth believe that these cameras will expose judges and court workers who regularly visit the tycoon’s residence.
In addition to the corruption in the land disputes, the youth have also raised concerns about the chieftaincy affairs in Greater Accra.
They have called on the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, to intervene and instruct the Judicial Committee of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs (GARHC) to cease handling chieftaincy matters.
The youth argue that some of the chiefs who sit on the GARHC’s Judicial Committee are themselves embroiled in ongoing legal disputes over their chieftaincy statuses.
They believe it is a violation of legal principles for these chiefs to be involved in adjudicating chieftaincy disputes while their own cases remain pending in the courts.
Furthermore, the youth have demanded the immediate reshuffling of the current Registrar of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs to ensure a more transparent and efficient handling of chieftaincy matters.
The growing public outcry highlights the need for urgent reforms to address the corruption allegations and improve the integrity of the judiciary and chieftaincy institutions in the region.
In a related development some youth in Ngleshie Alata are calling on the powers that be to cease audience with a self-styled chief by name Weste Kojo II otherwise known as Prince Asharku Bruce Quaye.
According to them records show that the said title has been used since 1939 which was confirmed by the then Ga Mantse Nii Tackie Oblie so therefore he is using a ghost name for the position he says he is occupying and this even goes to drum home the point that he knows next to nothing about the chieftaincy institution.
Citing an example, they said every lawyer has a bar number and the police personnel also have theirs and upon their deaths those numbers are not given to any other person, so any mention of Wetse Kojo II is a ghost name.
They also accused the Nungua Mantse King Odaifio Welentsi III has been the brain behind most of the chieftaincy disputes in the Greater Accra Region because of his failure to stand by the truth and do what is just.
The youth further appealed to the Chief Justice, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to use eagle eyes to ensure that peace returns the region and by extension Ngleshie alata for peace and harmony to prevail.