New suits against Ga Mantse

Two fresh suits have been filed at the Judicial Committee of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs against the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Tawiah II, challenging his nomination and installation.

This brings to seven the number of suits against him.

A source at the House, confirming the fresh suits at the resumed hearing of the petitions against him last Friday, said they were yet to be served on the respondent, known in private life as Dr. Jo Blankson.

The Times learnt that as the new writs were being filed, the parties who filed the three out of the five original suits decided to consolidate their case into a single suit.

This is because, according to them, their petitions were similar and it was better to merge them to have a common front.

Dr. Ebenezer Nii Armah Tackie and three others, and Henry Ayitey Ayitey want to join their cases with that of Nii Owula Kpakpa Blonfonyo, the Ga State Akwashong Mantse for which Nii Tackie Tawiah opened his defence.

Ruling on the motions for the joining of the cases would be given on June 15, according to the Times sources.

Nii Tackie Tawiah was absent at the resumed sitting which was held under tight security, but was represented by Victor Lartey while Nii Akropong, Head of the Teiko Tsuru We and Nuumo Tettey III, the Nai Wulomo, who are co-defendants in that suit, were represented by Nii Adu Mensah and Nii Adama Tackie respectively.

During cross-examination by lead counsel for the Ga Mantse, Willie Amarfio, Nii Blofonyo rejected counsel's argument that at the time of the installation of his client, there were no chiefs for Asere, Abola Piam and Gbese, three of the four ruling houses, and therefore "the main players were not available for the enstoolment".

Although Nii Blofonyo who is also Asere Akwashongtse, agreed that there were no substantive chiefs at the time, he said, "the king never dies," explaining that traditionally authorised people acted in the absence of the chiefs, and they should have therefore been involved in the enstoolment process.

Counsel also challenged the capacity in which the plaintiff filed the suit saying that, because he was not a member of any of the four ruling houses, and had no right to challenge the nomination and installation of a Ga Mantse.

Responding, Nii Blofonyo maintained that as the Ga State Akwashong Mantse (Supreme warrior), and also the Asere Akwashongtse who has the customary responsibility to adorn the head of the Ga Manste with the traditional Adowa hat to signify his acceptance by the Asere people, he hasthe right to question the eligibility of the nominee.

He rejected counsel's suggestion that the adornment of the Ga Mantse with the Adowa hat by the Asere Stool "is only ceremonial and not constitutive," and that the Asere people were involved in the process after a Ga Mantse had been nominated and installed.

The committee chaired by the President of the House, Nene Tette Otu adjourned further hearing to June 1.