Justice for Sale! Court, Rent Control Officers Fingered in Lapaz Property Hijack

Businessman cries foul as corrupt officials, rent officer, and police frustrate lawful owner
Fresh revelations have emerged in the protracted property dispute involving businessman Gilles Kwame Dosse, exposing a complex web of alleged corruption, judicial negligence, and abuse of authority that has allowed three tenants to unlawfully reoccupy his property at Lapaz in Accra — despite clear court orders and judicial advice to the contrary.

According to documents and eyewitness accounts available to this paper, the controversy deepened after Twum Ampofo, a Rent Control Officer, allegedly flouted a lawful court directive and instead issued a counter-order in favour of the very tenants the court had ruled against.

On July 18, 2025, the Adabraka Magistrate Court granted an order authorising the Rent Officer to force open the doors of the tenants — Agnes Brosel, Daniel, and Richard — who had defied prior eviction orders.

The complainant, Mr. Gilles Kwame Dosse, reportedly paid a sum of GH₵20,000.00 to the Rent Control Officer to facilitate the lawful enforcement.

However, in a dramatic twist, the Rent Officer allegedly turned around and signed another directive, this time favouring the tenants and effectively undermining the court’s authority.

Sources within the Rent Control Department allege that Mr. Ampofo collected “huge sums of money” from the tenants to influence his decision.

“This was the beginning of the chaos,” a source close to the matter said. “The tenants felt protected, started defying the court’s order, and even broke into the property again.”

Forgery and Judicial Complicity Alleged

Checks at the Judicial Secretariat have revealed that no official documentation exists authorising the reinstatement of the tenants.

Yet, a fictitious order, allegedly written on October 10, 2025, by a Rent Control Officer, was used by the tenants to justify their re-entry into the property.

Compounding the situation, Mrs. Juliet Amankwa, Registrar at the Adabraka Magistrate Court, has been accused of contributing to the judicial confusion.

She allegedly disregarded a directive from the Chief Justice’s Office in June 2019, which ordered the original magistrate, Her Worship Victoria Akua Ghansah, to deliver judgment on the case.

Six years later, the judgment remains pending — a delay that has opened the door for conflicting orders, forged documents, and multiple forced entries onto the property.

Mr. Dosse was advised to write yet another petition to the Chief Justice, despite having already submitted several.

“This back-and-forth has left me completely stranded,” Mr. Dosse lamented. “The system meant to protect citizens is instead being manipulated to protect wrongdoers.”

Police Inaction and Alleged Interference

The situation worsened when the tenants, acting on the controversial Rent Control letter, broke into the building again last Wednesday.

Distress calls placed to the Imoro of the SWAT unit under the Greater Accra Regional Command reportedly went unanswered.

“This is not the first time the police have refused to act,” Mr. Dosse said. “It appears there are deliberate attempts to frustrate justice.”

Claims are that, the said police officer Imoro is always quick to respond to the tenants rather than the landlord as on countless occasions, he led a team of police men to reinstate the tenants in the property without any clear and legitimate order.

Land Ownership Confirmed

Official records confirm that Gilles Kwame Dosse is the lawful owner of the Lapaz property.

A Land Title Certificate (No. GA.61243) issued by the Land Title Registry on January 29, 2020, certifies his leasehold ownership for 70 years, beginning February 5, 2014.

The document traces ownership to the Asere Stool, whose allodial title to the land has been affirmed in several historic judgments — including Mantse D.P. Hammond (Asere Stool) v. Amo-Wellington & Others and Tetteh Kum v. Ahima Butu (1919).

“This land is not in dispute under customary law. What we are seeing is a total breakdown of justice,” Mr. Dosse asserted.

Call for Accountability

Legal analysts say the alleged misconduct by the Rent Control Officer, the Registrar, and sections of the police — if proven — could amount to contempt of court, corruption, and dereliction of duty.

“This case exemplifies how administrative misconduct erodes public confidence in the justice system,” one legal expert told this paper. “The Chief Justice and the Attorney-General must step in immediately to restore order and credibility.”

For Mr. Dosse, the demand is simple:

“All I want is for the law to take its course. Justice delayed is justice denied — but justice manipulated is even worse.”

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