Four persons shot at Begoro over land dispute

Four young men are currently receiving treatment at the Begoro Government Hospital in the Fanteakwa North District of the Eastern Region following violent clashes amidst the firing of gunshots over a land dispute.

The incident reportedly occurred over the weekend at Dedeso, a community near Begoro when they stormed there with some others to settle a land dispute.

Genesis

The construction of the Akosombo Hydroelectric Dam in 1961 inevitably created the Volta Lake which displaced 730 villages with a total population of 80,000 people.

These displaced people were relocated and resettled by the state in 52 townships spread over six regions of the country; namely Volta, Oti, Eastern, Bono East, Northern, and Savannah, covering 20 districts of the country.

Angry residents of Dedeso, a VRA resettlement community a few months ago held a press conference accusing the acting Chief of Begoro – Osabarima Bosompem Ayirepe II sacking them from government acquired land through the use of gun-wielding thugs violently grabbing farmlands from families and asking them to vacate their ancestral homes since the area belongs to Akyem Abuakwa.

They say the 8,700.24Km square land was acquired by the government of Ghana in 1969 by Executive Instrument (EI.54) for the resettled families for agricultural purposes and that land is being taken away from them by the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council.

The agitating residents claimed that Osabarima Bosompem Ayirepe II – Regent of Begoro has invaded the community with gun-wielding thugs chasing away farmers and taken away their farmlands amidst gunshots that, the lands belong to Akyem Abuakwa since Dr. Kwame Nkrumah did not pay compensation for the lands acquired.

Recent Attacks

However, to enable them to settle the land dispute, the residents led by one of the chiefs from Begoro Palace went to the Police to escort them to the community.

A Police officer at Abouso Police post, Constable Kinni Daniel, 28, who narrated the incident said while he was on duty at Abouso station one Nana Bimpong of Begoro palace in the company of about 20 men on board Kia Bongo truck with registration no. GW 551-21 and a motorbike came to inform him that they needed a police escort to Dedeso to settle a land dispute.

According to him, based on that information, he led them to Pertiefoo near Dedeso, one of the areas in a land dispute between the Dedesohene and the Krobos.

He said on their arrival, they were confronted by the Krobos, adding that sensing imminent danger, he fled to Dedeso police station to seek refuge together with the chief.

Constable Kinni Daniel narrated that, he then called for a reinforcement from Begoro command, quickly proceeded to Dedeso to restore law and order but before the team arrived, two men who were butchered were in a pool of blood, dumped at the roadside.

The Police as gathered rushed them to Begoro District Hospital and currently receiving treatment.
DGN Online learnt that, the Kia Bongo truck which conveyed the men was set on fire at the roadside by the angry residents.
While the melee was ongoing, it started to rain, and due to the heavy downpours and the muddy nature of the road, the Police weren’t able to cause any arrest.

However, on the following day at about 7am, the police visited the scene of the crime at Ashaiman cottage and an investigation revealed that one Peter a Krobo who sustained a cutlass wound during the clashes was missing where a search was dispatch to look for him.

The Police also established that one Abu Nasan alias Lasagbe aged 58 who claimed his 15,000 cedis cash was stolen from the room thatch house building was close to the scene of the crime was damaged and the room was ransacked.

The Begoro District Police Commander, ASP Aboagye Duffuor when contacted said investigation is still ongoing and the situation closely monitored.