The Yabi community in the Atwima Kwanwoma District is boiling, as the youth are angry with their chief, Nana Kwame Frimpong Okotomene II.
They are angered by the chief’s alleged complicity in a land dispute, in which he allegedly engaged land guards to brutalise the youth last Saturday.
About 10 ‘Machomen’ rendering services as land guards at the alleged instance of the Yabi chief, last Friday brutalised some employees of Kofi Sika Sawmill, at Akwaagya, near Yabi, claiming ownership of Akwaagya lands.
One Kwaku Danso escaped a gunshot, when a bullet missed his eye, while another, Tonto, who was kicked in the abdomen, is on admission at the hospital.
The following day, the land guards, who had followed up to ensure that the youth had left the land, which is in dispute between the Yabihene and the chief of Toase, clashed with the youth.
Having overpowered the land guards, the youth set off to the chief’s palace and vandalised his residence and vehicles and that of the Abusuapanin and his younger brother.
Yesterday, the youth staged a peaceful demonstration in the community against the chief for allegedly engaging ‘Machomen’ to brutalise the youth at Akwaagya, claiming he owns the Akwaagya lands.
A youth leader, one Wofa Yaw, accused the chief of engaging in wanton sale of lands at the expense of the development of the community.
He said the chief has not engaged the community in any meeting to outline his vision, since his enstoolment five years ago.
According to Wofa Yaw, the Yabihene is charging between GHc2,000 and GHc3,0000 as cemetery fees and yet no development is taking place in the town.
The police have since been patrolling in the community to ensure peace and order while the current location of Nana Kwame Frimpong Okotomene is not known, as he was not sighted in the town at the time of filing this report.
Nana Kwame Frimpong Okontomene II was enstooled as the chief of Yabi on March 25, 2019 and swore the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the Manhyia Palace.
The Yabihene is a member of the Kyidom division of the Kumasi Traditional Council, headed by the Akyempimhene of Kumasi.
Since 2020, Nana Kwame Frimpong Okotomene has been involved in confrontations bordering on sale of lands.
In August 2020, the Nkawie Circuit Court granted him a GH¢50,000.00 bail with a surety, for allegedly instructing one of his subjects to inflict cutlass wounds on another person during a clash over a piece of land.
The District Magistrate Court at Twedie in the Atwima Kwanwomain in September 2021, remanded Nana Kwame Frimpong Okotomene II, Chief of Yabi and Nana Yaw Adarkwa, chief of Atonsu in Kumasi, for multiple sale of building plots.
Based on these developments, the youth have petitioned the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to consider destooling the chief for engaging land guards in a fight over the Akwaagya lands with the Toasehene, without seeking any arbitration and advice from the Manhyia Palace.
