Appolonia notorious land guard caged

A notorious Appolonia land guard who had been on the police radar for some time now in connection with unleashing terror and mayhem on developers and landowners in the Appolonia Township and its environs has been arrested.

Dortey Abladey, age 32, is said to have been terrorizing the Appolonia township for some years now, attacking land owners and demolishing their buildings claiming ownership of such parcels of lands which are part of the Appolonia stool lands and can only be leased by the chief.

Abladey was finally caged when he was busted by police after he led a group of land guards on motorbikes to illegally demolish several buildings and erected walls on a parcel of land belonging to private developers in the area last two weeks.

An Accra circuit court presided over by His Lordship Samuel Acquah has remanded Dorthey Abladey into the Nsawam prison custody for two weeks.

The accused is facing nine counts of charges including prohibition of activities of land guard activities contrary to Section 7(3) of Vigilantism and Related Offences ACT 2019 ACT 999, threat of harm contrary to section 74 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), causing unlawful damage contrary to section 172 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (act 29) and stealing contrary to Section 124(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1090 (Act 29).

According to the fact of the case, Grace Kokui Kwasiwa James-Odoo accused Abladey of using armed wielding land guards to terrorize her and others on her parcel of land she legally acquired with all the necessary documents.

According to the police prosecutor, on 2nd February, 2021, at Appolonia in the Greater Accra Region and within the jurisdiction of the Court, the accused Dortey Abladey with intent to put Grace Kokui Kwasiwa James-Odoo in fear of harm, did threaten to cause harm to the said Grace Kokui Kwasiwa James-Odoo

According to the police, Abladey acted as land guard on a parcel of land at Appolonia and owned respectively by Grace Kokui Kwasiwa James-Odoo, Micheal Nii Afortey and Constant Bansah causing unlawful damage contrary to section 172 of the criminal offence Act.

The alleged notorious land guard is again facing another count for causing damage to the fence wall and blocks belonging to Grace Kokui Kwasiwa James-Odoo valued seventy-one thousand Ghana Cedes (GHC71,000.00).

According to the court, Dortey Abladey is to reappear in court on 19^th of May 2021 for hearing.

In an interview with some residents of the area following the arrest and remand of Dortey Abladdey, they noted that the menace of the land guard activities have gained notoriety in the area stating that “the mention of land guards sends shivers down our spines”.

“We have abandoned the idea of buying lands to put up our won houses. The reason is just the fear of these land guards who do not only intimidate but sometimes go to the extent of even killing innocent people just because they have bought lands and developing on same”, one resident lamented.

They said the situation is going from bad to worst with the land guards on daily basis are always combing new developing areas and terrorizing developers.

They appeal to police administration to work hard to eliminate them to allow people the peace of mind to develop their lands they bought with their last savings.