A group of thugs, suspected to be working for a Queenmother (name witheld for now) of one of the Brong- Ahafo towns went on rampage last week and in the process, kidnapped the Dormaa District Forestry Manager, Mr. Bernard Tabil and beat him up.

According to a Police report, sighted by The Independent, the District Forestry Manager irked the thugs because he has on many occasions blocked the group from felling illegal timber in the Forest Reserve area.

The police report said, Mr. Tabil once came to the Dormaa Police Station to lodge a complaint that he had been assaulted by the youth. He showed to the Police bruises that were inflicted on him from the beating as well as his torn shirt and trousers.

Mr. Tabil himself told The Independent that he was accosted by the youth at a nearby bush where they mercilessly beat him up.

He narrated that the boys who numbered about 15 then informed him that it was a Queen mother who instructed them to teach him a lesson "for misbehaving on her custodial land".

This reporter later gathered that, so far, five suspects namely, Isaac Asare, Kwadwo Ansu Adoma, Douglas Asante alias Apumpuo, Kwadwo Adoma and Twene Baffour have all been arrested in connection with the assault on Mr. Tabil and are granted police enquiry bail.

However, preliminary investigation by the Suyani Police has revealed that the said Queen mother on two occasions cut and sold some timber trees at the Dormaa Royal Mausoleum and others areas within the Dormaa Forest Reserve to Alexander Takyi and Kwadwo Tuah, both timber contractors.

This got to the notice of the Forest Manager who wrote letters with copies to Queen mother expressing disapproval.

On another occasion, a brother of the Queen mother, one Baffour Twene, also illegally entered the concession of a timber contractor and fell Odum trees which he sold to Scanstyle Mim Limited.

When the deal came to the notice of the Forestry Manager, he (Forestry Manager) placed an embargo on the money that Scanstyle Mim Company was supposed to pay Twene Baffour for the trees sold.

The Queen mother asked one of the Foresters to intervene on behalf of her brother, but the Forest Manager would not budge. He also refused to honour invitation by the Queen mother to settle the matter amicably.

Undercover investigations, conducted by this reporter has revealed that, the Queenb mother and her associates want the District Forest Manager transferred from the area.