Kumasi (Asahnti Region) 26 May '99

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has given Nana Nuben Asare II, Tredehene, up to Monday, May 31, to withdraw an appeal he has filed at the Court of Appeal against the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) or have his recognition withdrawn.

The Asantehene gave the order at the sitting of the KTC in Kumasi, when Nana Asare appeared before it.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu asked the Tredehene together with his counsel to bring to him the documents after withdrawing the case from the court.

When he was asked to explain why he sent the KTC to court, Nana Asare said about five years ago, one Komfo Serwaah of Trede, accused him and 18 others of stealing gold ornaments from her shrine.

He said when he appeared before the KTC, Oheneba Adusei Poku, the Akyempimhene, who was then the Acting President, did not give him a hearing.

Nana Asare said he then realised that he might not get a fair deal and so he asked his lawyer to write to the Council to protest against the treatment meted out to him but he did not receive any reply and so he sent the case to court.

At the meeting, Nana Adunya Safia, Asantehene's chief linguist, was found guilty of gross disrespect to the KTC and was fined 4,000 cedis and asked to slaughter four sheep.

The Council said the Akyeamehene flouted an order not to install an Abusuapanin for Bokankye until he had performed the pacification rites in respect of the swearing of the Great Oath of Asante against him.