A faction in a 17-year-old court dispute over the inheritance of the estate of a prominent Kumasi businessman, on Tuesday tricked the police into providing them with security cover as they set out to demolish part of the house at the centre of the litigation.

The late Opanin Kwadwo Oppong's children led by Madam Akosua Nyarko who have

been litigating with their cousin Madam Adwoa Fosuaa, were said to have written to the Regional Police Administration informing them about plans to develop their building at the Adum commercial area in Kumasi into stores.

They convinced the police that since the volume of human traffic in the area was heavy it was necessary that the police provided assistance by directing the movement of people as they knock down walls of the building to prevent an accident.

Having succeeded in getting the police to the scene, they went into action pulling down parts of the structure, an action that drew fierce protest from Madam Fosuaa and her faction.

Madam Fosuaa seething with rage told the Ghana News Agency after the Regional Police Commander, Mr George Asiamah had ordered the withdrawal of the policemen from the scene that the action of the other faction was both "provocative and contemptuous."

She wondered why Madam Nyarko and her family took that action even though they were aware the case was still pending before court and had been fixed for hearing on August 3, 2001.

The Regional Police Commander when contacted on phone regretted the presence of his men at the scene of the demolition, saying, they were not told the truth.

He said since the matter is a purely civil one there is no way the police would permit itself to be drawn into it and has ordered that the demolition be stopped.

Mr Asiamah said he has advised both parties to allow the matter to be determined by the court.

The destroyed part of the house contained four rooms.