Samuel Nuetey Abotsi, a self-acclaimed stool elder at Appolonia in the Greater Accra region has been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court for causing unlawful damage to the property of a businesswoman, Grace James Ocloo.
The court, presided over by Samuel A. Acquah, was told yesterday by DSP Augustus Anim Yirenkyi, that although a claimed stool elder at Appolonia, he lives at Nungua, also in the Greater Accra region.
He said in 2016, Madam Ocloo acquired 23 acres of land from F.A. Global Company Limited at Appolonia.
The Prosecuting Officer narrated to the court that before acquiring the said land, the businesswoman conducted a search at the Lands Commission and found out that, the land is registered in the name of the said F.A. Global Company Limited.
He continued that Madam Ocloo, after acquiring the land, constructed a fence wall and pillars on the said land to ward off encroachers.
Unfortunately, he added that in March 26, 2021 at about 11:00 pm, Abotsi and Haruna Tetteh (at large) sent a Pay Loader machine to Grace’s land and without any court order demolished the entire fence wall and the pillars.
The Prosecuting Officer added that on March 29, 2021 Grace reported the matter to the Police for investigation and on the same day, the Police visited the scene to assess the situation.
He informed the court that the damage allegedly caused by the accused persons was valued at GH¢150, 000.00.
DSP Yirenkyi indicated that on April 21, 2022 Abotsi was arrested and admitted the offence in his caution statement.
The accused was said to have admitted that they demolished the fence wall on the land in order to know the claimant of the land.
The prosecuting officer added that, “meanwhile, he was told to submit his document on the land to assist investigation but he failed to do so.”
He further stated that the case is still under investigation and efforts are being made to arrest the other accused person on the run.
Abotsi has pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail in the sum of GHC15,000 with two sureties, one should be a salary worker earning not less than GHC2,000.00 and with a landed property worth GHC15,000.
The case has been adjourned to May June, 2022.
