Techimanhene denies police charges against him

Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw         Abubakar Akumfi Ameyaw, Press Coordinator of the chief of Techiman, has denied knowledge of any charges or prosecution against the chief by the police. Director General of Police CID, DCOP Frank Adu Poku, at a press conference on Friday disclosed that Nana Akumfi Ameyaw, was arrested together with six others for allegedly kidnapping the chief of Tuobodom. “They have all been cautioned and charged with the offences of kidnapping, assault and stealing and have been released on police enquiry bail,” he said, adding that a docket has been prepared and forwarded to the Attorney General for advice and possible prosecution. But Abubakar Akumfi Ameyaw in an interview with Joy News said the chief, who also happens to be his father, has no knowledge, none whatsoever, of charges and possible prosecution against him. He said the news of his father’s prosecution got to them through a "good samaritan" who had been monitoring the live press conference organised by the police in Accra on Friday. He said several efforts to acquaint themselves with the details of the press conference have proven futile and were waiting patiently to get official confirmation of the prosecution in order to react appropriately. An obviously angry Abubakar Akumfi Ameyaw accused the police of “hypocrisy” for daring to prosecute his father, when alleged perpetrators of an earlier assassination attempt on his father were walking free. DCOP Frank Adu Poku in announcing the charges and possible prosecution of the Techimanhene also stated emphatically that six people, including the Tuobodom chief, had been arrested and granted bail for their alleged roles in the assassination attempt on the Techimanhene in October, 2008. Abubakar Akumfi Ameyaw said the statements by the Director General of Police CID were rather unfortunate. Three people died in clashes between indigenes of Tuobodom and those of Techiman in February this year after the Tuobodom chief (known to owe allegiance to the Asantehene) was allegedly kidnapped and assaulted by people said to be bodyguards of the Techiman chief. The situation nearly got out of hand when the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II waded into the controversy and threatened to also kidnap the Techimanhene if government failed to take action. Police Director of Public Relations, DSP Kwesi Ofori in an interview with Joy News said the arrests were made and charges pressed after thorough investigations into the separate incidents of assassination attempt and kidnap. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana