By Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, Jr., Ph.D.
English Department, SUNY-Nassau
Garden City, New York
February 4, 2017
E-mail: okoampaahoofe@optimum.net

I have been following news reports regarding the alleged seizure of some 5 vehicles that Mr. Kofi Adams, the National Organizer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), claims belonged to him and his brother from his Golf City residence in Tema, the Greater-Accra Region (See “Soldiers Seized My 5 Cars – Kofi Adams” Citifmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 2/1/17). Unless he has been engaged in some highly lucrative private ventures, I have absolutely no reason to believe that the National Campaign Coordinator for former President John Dramani Mahama owns two or three Toyota Land Cruisers, with each of them valued at some $50,000. He belonged to a government that was notorious for its kleptocratic tendencies; but even so, the Ford Expedition Payola Scam involving the former president makes it quite evident that even among those with the most-ready access to our nation’s treasury, there is never quite enough money and/or wealth to trickle down to the far less privileged and fortunate.

What I also find rather disturbing about the Rambo-style storming of the Adams residence and the seizure of his 5 vehicles, is that a more appropriate procedure would have been for the relevant authorities to have issued the alleged criminal suspect a writ of summons to appear in court or before government investigators with documents proving his ownership of the properties in question. Instead, we are told that some armed military men from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) entered Mr. Adams’ residence, while the latter was out of the country and commandeered the aforesaid vehicles. As of this writing, all 5 vehicles were reported to have been returned to their owner, with the Minister of Security, Mr. Kan-Dapaah, having promptly phoned the aggrieved Mr. Adams and apologized. But even more significantly, the Security Minister has also aptly decried the revoltingly unorthodox procedure by which the vehicles were commandeered.

Well, Nana Obiri Boahen, who is a trained lawyer and a Deputy General-Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party, ought to know that the aggrieved party could actually sue his group for unlawful entry into his house, or burglary, and the vandalizing of his residence and actually win, even if it is later proven that some or even all the vehicles that had earlier on been taken from his premises had actually been stolen from the Ghanaian taxpayer. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind, whatsoever, that Mr. Adams may be holding on to stolen property; but the onus of proof rests with his accusers and not vice-versa (See “Bring Your ‘Original’ Documents to Claim Seized Cars – Kofi Adams Told” Ghana-News. Adomonline.com /Ghanaweb.com 2/2/17). You simply do not violate somebody else’s private space and forcibly take away his properties because you believe that you are in possession of incontrovertible evidence indicating that the properties so commandeered were stolen from the State. This weird and unorthodox approach to doing things is, of course, uniquely the National Democratic Congress’ modus operandi. And to be frank with the dear reader, I am not the least bit sorry for Mr. Adams. For it is about time the food-poison maker tasted some of his own brew or manufacture, as it were,

Nevertheless, the New Patriotic Party’s key operatives have always insisted that theirs is a political party that is steeped in the refined and civilized mores of the rule of law. And so it is decidedly untenable for Nana Obiri Boahen and his men to cavalierly presume to take the law into their own hands. Somebody at party headquarters needs to promptly call them to order before things get out of hand. Mr. Obiri Boahen claims to have solid evidence linking at least two of the Toyota Land Cruisers to the State, which may explain why the group that conducted the seizure was accompanied by personnel from the DVLA (See “Kofi Adams’ Cars Were Stolen from Gov’t – Obiri Boahen” Ghana-News.Adomonline.com 2/3/17). He even describes how the VIN/Chassis number of one of the vehicles had been scuffed off and replaced with a bogus one. But, of course, all such evidence means absolutely nothing, unless the appropriate procedure for tracking and retrieving stolen State property is followed.

Which means that it may be rather too early or premature for Mr. Adams to feel morally superior to his detractors and political opponents. The man could still be indicted and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Make no mistake about that. What I fail to comprehend, though, is what business Mr. Kwame Baffoe (aka “Abronye DC”), the Brong-Ahafo NPP Regional Youth Organizer, who claims to have led the charge into the Tema residence of the foulmouthed NDC operative, was doing so far from his political jurisdiction. In other words, was Mr. Baffoe on a scores-settling mission?

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs