Benso, (W/R) August 2, GNA - Nana Odeneho Akrofa Krukoko II, former Omanhene of Wassa Fiase traditional area, who was convicted in April, 2002 by a Sekondi high court for contempt, the basis for which he was destooled by some of the kingmakers, has appealed to the Western Regional House of Chiefs to take steps to restore him to his former status.

Odeneho Krukoko, known in private life as Mr. Kwesi Ampong, who was enstooled in 1994, said his appeal followed the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) decision to set aside the ruling of the Sekondi high court. On July 17, 2003, the Appeal Court, presided over by Mr. Justice P.K. Twumasi, set aside the high court ruling and ordered that any fine or cost paid by the appellant be refunded to him because the charge preferred against the former Omanhene was "quasi-criminal".

At a press conference at Benso on Friday, Odeneho Krukoko said his "so called destoolment" was a plot hatched by his detractors to cause confusion among the people of Wassa Fiase.

"My purported destoolment and the enstoolment of the Right Reverend Chika Morgan, as my successor, two days later was a coup d' tat by my detractors for their selfish ends".

Odeneho Krukoko said he is still the Omanhene of the traditional area and added that, he is recognised by the government as the Omanhene since he had not been de-gezzeted.

"My name in the local government bulletin as the Wassa Fiasehene has not been cancelled", he added.

He called on the kingmakers to chart a course that would bring lasting peace to the area, and invited them and divisional chiefs and other opinion leaders to a dialogue to find solution to the problem that had seriously polarised the community.

Odeneho Krukoko outlined development programmes he had for the area to ensure accelerated development, and said the ten per cent of royalties to the traditional area that he had earmarked for development, would be raised to 15 per cent.

Obaapanin Adwoa Gyanbrah, the oldest member of the royal family denied that there were two royal families in the traditional area. Earlier, hundreds of jubilant supporters of Odeneho Krukoko dressed in white, with white clay besmeared on their arms and faces, paraded the streets with songs and brass band music.