A Bolgatanga High court has stripped off a purported chief of Sirigu in the Kasena Nankana West District of the Upper East region in less than a year after he was enskined.
Roland Akwara Atogumdeya has been barred from holding himself out as chief of the area following the court ruling and slapped with a fine of GH¢2,000 or in default serve seven days in prison.
The supervising High court judge Justice Jacob Nbawine Boon ruled that the purported out-dooring of Roland Akwara Atogumdeya was null and void thereby declaring the seat of Sirigu chieftaincy vacant.
10 other persons Agoma Apowiya, Ali Alemya Akwara, James Nsoh, Ibrahim Awobgo, Mark Awobgo, and Eden Akurigo were cited for contempt of court owing to a disregard by the court preventing them from enskinning the embattled chief. The rest are Wisdom Akurigo, Nsoh Asingya, Ayamga Aganeba and Musah Apisigre. The court charged them together with the purported chief to sign a bond of good behavior for twelve months. The breach of this order will see any culprit serving an 18 months jail sentence. They were also ordered to pay a fine of GH¢3,000 as cost incurred by the petitioners.
Addressing the media in Bolgatanga, Counsel for the petitioners, John Ndebugri said petitioners in the case namely Abalungo Akubulgo and Francis Ayamga filed a petition at the regional house of chiefs against four persons for purportedly installing Roland Akwara Atogumdeya. He disclosed the petitioners complained that the purported chief of Sirigu was illegally declared chief of the area without following due process.
According to Mr. Ndebugri, an application for injunction was therefore filled on 24th July 2015 restraining Roland Akwara Atogumdeya from being enskined but the order was defied.
Lawyer Ndebugri therefore cautioned that “anybody who is associating with this eleven people, who gets up and go to this Roland Akwara Atogumdeya’s house and start sitting there purporting that he is the chief…if his name is brought to me especially if it is among this eleven people then he will go for the 18 months in prison.”
By: Joshua Asaah | A1RADIOONLINE.com | Ghana
