Scores of Appolonia youth, in the company of some police personnel last Thursday raided over 500 houses to enforce an alleged court order.
The youth, energised by the protection of the armed police personnel, told the media that they had in their possession court orders, which they declined to show to the media, from the Accra High Court to possess over 500 properties.
Carrying a red can spray, the leader of the youth inscribed ‘Court Order and Possession Taken’ on over 500 buildings at Appolonia, an exercise which the affected residents described as unannounced and harassment on them. Residents who demanded a copy of the court order were heckled for being inquisitive.
Among the disturbed residents was the Proprietress of Good Regimensah Special Food Joint, Madam Regina Blay, whose question to the youth to produce their claim of having a court order got them infuriated and they (youth) packed out cooked food, tables, chairs, drinks and refrigerators from her restaurant.
She was later arrested by the police for allegedly challenging and obstructing the police and breaking the ‘court’s’ padlock.
Before the police could whisk her away, Madam Regina told newsmen around that as she was getting ready to begin her daily business, she saw some youth of Appolonia, in the company of some clothed police personnel, wielding guns, enter her eatery.
“I enquired from them what the problem was and they told me they have a court order to take possession of the entire area. I asked them to produce the order notice, but a policeman among the team told me to shut up and pack my things out of the place.
“I asked them to show me the court order and notice, but realising that I was not allowing them to intimidate me, a couple of the police and youth heckled me. I was pushed to the ground while they haphazardly parked all my foodstuffs and items from the dining and kitchen and later locked my property with a padlock.
“So my staff and I were standing outside when one of the boys wrote on the building: ‘Court Order and Possession Taken’. They left a telephone number and left.
“I quickly called the number and the receiver told me that the team was only asked to give notice but not to lock up buildings. He (the receiver) apologised and asked me to proceed to do my business. With these words and apology, I went ahead to break the padlock to resume business.”
While she was speaking with the media, the police quickly pulled up and arrested Madam Regina and put her in their pickup for breaking a ‘court’s’ padlock to open her eatery for business.
Two bailiffs who went to the area with the police and youth declined to show the court’s notice to the media when the latter requested to see it.
In a telephone interview with the number the youth provided on the buildings, the receiver, who identified himself as Noglich Tetteh and the Spokesperson for the Appolonia Chief, told the media that the exercise was only to serve notices to residents within the catchment area of the court order, but not to lock any property or heckle anybody.
He condemned the action by the youth and promised to call them to order and also caution them against harassing residents and business owners “because that was not what we told them to do on the field.”
