November 3, 2007 (Lead story)
Story: Mabel Aku Baneseh
AFTER two days of blood letting in the Anlo chieftaincy conflict, the Accra Fast Track High Court has restrained the king makers of the Anlo Traditional Council from installing Francis Nyonyo Agboada, alias Regent Torgbui Sri III, as the Awoemefia.
The order, which remains in force until further notice from the court, was effected by substitution through the print and electronic media to the parties involved in the installation, which was expected to take place today.
This followed the granting of an ex-parte motion tabled before the court by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Joe Ghartey, to that effect.
Mr Ghartey had prayed the court to restrain parties in the preparation and installation of Torgbui Sri III because the circumstances surrounding the installation, which had already claimed the lives of six persons, could lead to more bloodbath.
He informed the court that unfolding events showed that tension was very high in the Anlo Traditional Area and it was evident there would be more confusion and bloodshed, if the installation was allowed to take place.
He said information gathered was that unless restrained by the court, the installation of Francis Nyonyo Agboada would take place.
According to the Attorney-General, the government had a responsibility of maintaining peace and order by way of seeking a court order.
He said although the police had granted permission to the Traditional Council to hold the event, it had withdrawn the permission because of the volatile nature of peace and refusal of both parties in the chieftaincy dispute to restrain themselves.
Mr Ghartey argued further that it would be too late if the court stuck to the law which expected parties to be given 48-hour notice from holding an event.
In its ruling, the court, presided over by Mr Justice Samuel Marful-Sau, an Appeal Court judge with additional responsibility as a High Court judge, said although the Public Order Act 1994 (Act 491) stipulated that persons be given 48-hour notice from holding an event, it had become important to waive that Act because people’s lives were at stake.
It held that it had carefully examined the application of the Attorney-General and further restrained all parties from holding any meeting or event concerning or connected to the installation of the said Francis Nyonyo Agboada until further notice from the court.
“It is hereby ordered that king makers, the Anlo Traditional Council and any other persons or institutions involved in the preparation and installation of the Awoemefia of Anlo be and are hereby restrained forthwith from holding any event to install the person named Francis Nyonyo Agboada, also known as Regent Torgbui Sri III, as the Awomefia scheduled for Saturday, November 3, 2007," the court directed.
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