The owner of the 10 duplexes that were recently demolished at Adjiriganor in Accra, George Oti Bonsu, has called on state agencies to investigate the circumstances that led to the demolition exercise to ensure justice.

He also entreated the government to call to order all those who played a role in the demolition of the building worth GH¢ 60 million. Mr Bonsu, who described himself as a member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), made the call at a press conference held at the demolition site last Monday.

“The unauthorised demolition underscores an abuse of power. The time and day of the enforcement of the possession order itself smacks of illegality,” he said. The demolition, he said, was executed with excessive force, including police and military presence forcibly entering the property, confiscating phones, assaulting individuals and preventing residents from calling the police at around 1 a.m. on Sunday, April 7, 2024.

He said “The involvement of individuals in police and military uniforms raised concerns about the rogue elements operating outside official channels.” “We possess evidence demonstrating that the court did not authorise the demolition, as Hajia Aisha Ahmed’s team was duly informed of pending motions in court,” he said.

He said official documentation from the Lands Commission rebutted the search result presented to the court by Hajia and her team, indicating that fraudulent documents were presented in court.

Background
Mr Bonsu said he acquired the land in question in 1992 from the Anorkwei and Tuaka families of Teshie.  Subsequently, the Akwraboye Doku family obtained a Supreme Court judgment, to which Mr Bonsu duly atoned tenancy.

However, litigation ensued when Winchester Empire contested ownership in the High Court at Tema. Concurrently, the land was also under litigation at the Accra High Court. 

Injunction
Amidst the legal proceedings, one Hajia Aisha Ahmed filed a case at the Adentan Circuit Court, seeking an injunction to prevent Mr Bonsu from proceeding with his construction. 

The High Court in Tema, however, ruled that having permitted Mr Bonsu  to proceed with construction, a lower court could not vary that decision.

Account
Mr Bonsu said Hajia Aisha Ahmed, who is also claiming ownership of the land, allegedly brought in military men on the morning of Monday, April 7, 2024.

Recounting the incident, he explained how caretakers were ordered to lie on the ground and their phones confiscated before the team proceeded to demolish the structures using bulldozers.

Mr Bonsu, however, speculated as to whether the drastic action was in retaliation for his support of Mr Ken Agyapong, a prominent figure within the NPP. He said he even sought the intervention of former President John Agyekum Kufuor prior to the demolition.

Ownership
The representatives of the Anorkwei and Tuaka families of Teshie, led by the Power of Attorney for the Anorkwei family, Ben Kusi, who were present at yesterday’s press conference, confirmed selling the land to Mr Bonsu.

They affirmed that a court injunction prevented land sale due to family head issues at the time of Hajia's purported purchase. They, however, denied selling the land to Hajia Ahmed or signing any document presented by her.