Nii Ayitey Okuansuro I, Chief of Opah, has rejected media report that erroneously described a 30-year old suspect, Bezali Zola, alias Nii Ayitey Anumlie Oyanka, who was arrested for attempted murder and violent conduct, as chief of Opah.

In a rejoinder issued and signed by Nii Ayitey Okuansuro I, in Accra on Thursday, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, stated that the suspect, who was arrested by the Police on August 16, is a resident of Doodo Obliman, near Opah, who is a leader of land guards in the area.

It said the Ga West Municipal Police who arrested Zola and his group of land guards at Doodo Obliman knew very well that, the suspect was not the revered chief of Opah, as given out by the police and published in a section of the media.

Speaking in an interview with the GNA at his palace at Opah on Thursday to throw more light on the incident, Nii Ayitey Okuansuro I said he was enstooled as chief of Opah in 1982 and out doored on March 18, 1994.

The Chief said he was approved by the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs on July 29, 2016.

Nii Okuansuro, known in private life as Daniel Allotey Brown, told the GNA that, he is the legitimate chief of Opah and sub-chief of Asere Divisional Council and member of the Ga Traditional Council.

He retired as an Assistant Director of Education and a well-known, respected and distinguished personality of the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

Nii Okuansuro refuted police claims that land litigation at Opah was the source of the violent attack on Nii Laryea Quartey and Daniel Nii Ayitey Hammond by Zola and his land guards.

He said on that fateful day, he and his elders went to Ofankor to perform some customary rituals to herald the Homowo celebrations and it was there that he received a call that Zola and his land guards had attacked Nii Laryea Quartey, stabbed him with a broken bottle and held him hostage at the residence of Zola at Doodo Obliman.

Therefore, Daniel Nii Ayitey Hammond, an elder brother of Quartey, went to the place to plead for his brother’s release but was also attacked and shot in the legs by Zola.

An attempt by some residents of Opah to rescue the two victims was met with sporadic gunfire and so Zola and his land guards succeeded in dispersing the people.

The Amasaman Police Command was informed about the disturbances and they came to the rescue the two victims.

Zola was subsequently arrested by the Police while Quartey and Hammond were rushed to the Amasaman Government Hospital for treatment.

However, Hammond was later transferred to Ridge Hospital due to the severity of the injuries he sustained from the gunshot.