Opinions of Wednesday, 10 February 2016

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Is "Kumawuhene" Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah committing further crimes?

One Kaakyire Badu Akyena on the night of Saturday 30 January 2016, at about 21:30 hours, put out an announcement on his Information Centre radio station. Like any commercial radio station, he was paid to announce to the Kumawuman public that Kumawuhene Barimah Tweneboah Koduah V was going to celebrate his 1st Year Akwasidae anniversary on Sunday, 31st January 2016 hence he invites the entire public to attend. His Information Centre radio station is affiliated to Kessben FM and it is based at Kumawu-Etia. He was supposed to continue with the announcement on Sunday 31st January 2016 in the morning prior to the commencement of the celebrations but the unexpected happened.

When he closed from work on the night of Saturday and was heading home in the company of three other friends, he received a phone call on his mobile (cell) phone from an unknown person. The unknown person was insisting to know where he was at the time of answering the call. Kwaakyire asked to know the identity of the person but the person was unwilling to reveal who he was. Kaakyire then said he was in Kumawu-Bodomase, although he was right in Kumawu.

The person then asked him to meet him at the Bodomase Police Station. He said he could not meet him there because he did not know who he was. After a protracted discussion, the person identified himself as the Kumawu District Police Commander. The Commander said he should then meet him on Sunday morning at the Kumawu Police Station for putting out an announcement that is offensive to Kumawuhene Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah and could cause crisis in Kumawu.

How does announcing that Kumawuhene Barimah Tweneboah Koduah V is celebrating his 1st Year Akwasidae anniversary and therefore appeals to the public to attend cause commotion in Kumawu or constitute an insult to the alleged Kumawuhene Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah?

As Kwaakyire was still in the company of his friends heading towards his home, he could see his wife running towards them. As soon as the wife got to them, she collapsed, probably out of exhaustion or fright. A friend in the company had in his hand a sachet of pure water. He emptied the water over her face.

When she came around, she told the husband that policemen and many "Ahenfie boys" in cars had come to their house (Kwaakyire and the wife's house) looking to arrest him for the announcement he had made. She told him they have destroyed things in the house. The Ahenfie boys were led by one Yaw Mensah and Aboagye.

His friends advised him to find shelter elsewhere for the night other than going to his house where he risked being maltreated, arrested or killed by the irate Ahenfie Boys.

While this was happening, little did he know that one Kofi Basoah with his friends Obeng and Alhaji had gone to his Information Centre studio to destroy some of his radio equipment? They had also cut up the electric wires that supply power and light to his studio and to an adjacent house where a police officer lives.

On Sunday 31st January 2016, he discovered how his machines had been destroyed. The destruction of the electric wires had had damaging ripple effect on the policeman's electrical appliances. The policeman caused the arrest of Kofi Basoah but he spent less than an hour at the police station; the alleged Kumawuhene Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah intervened to get him released.

When Kaakyire went to the police station to lodge a complaint against those who have destroyed his radio communication equipment, the police refused him permission to do so. They rather asked to see his licence for operating the Information Centre.

The long and short of the story is Kyeame Koduah arranged to have him appear before the alleged Kumawuhene Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah (Dr Yaw Sarfo) and his elders or sub-chiefs. From my reliable source, about 90% of those gathered there argued in support of Kaakyire and demanded that he had better be paid the cost of repairing or replacing his damaged equipment.

However, a vociferous 10% argued that he must be arrested customarily and fined three sheep and three bottles of schnapps for putting out that announcement which has the potency to humiliate Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah. Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah was given the chance to declare his stand on the case. He ordered Kaakyire to pay two sheep and two bottles of schnapps after the intervention of Kumawu Nifahene who doubles as Bodomasehene. Nifahene had argued for the penalty to be waived but Dr Yaw Sarfo gave Kaakyire an ultimatum to pay the fine within two weeks or he will order for the rest of his radio equipment to be destroyed.

This goes to tell that the alleged Kumawuhene Barimah Sarfo Tweneboah Koduah (Dr Yaw Sarfo) ordered his boys to cause destruction to the radio equipment. This is an act of committal of crime.

Dr Yaw Sarfo and his small number of yobs are calling for trouble and they may have troubles in abundance. They will have troubles when God touches the hearts of the Court judges to declare nothing, but the truth based on the credibility of the available evidence and facts before them.

I believe Kessben FM will react to what the Ahenfie boys have done to its affiliate radio station (Kaakyire Badu Information Centre).

Barimah Tweneboah Koduah V successfully celebrated his 1st Year Akwasidae anniversary with a great number of people in attendance. A video clip of the celebration will surely be loaded onto the YouTube portal when a copy becomes available.

Rockson Adofo