Chief In Narrow Escape From Death!!

A 63-year-old man, Andrews Nii Kotey Nmashie has appealed to the President, John Evans Attah Mills to intervene on his behalf in an assault case that nearly ended his life some 6 years ago!

Mr. Nmashie, who is also the head of the Okunekatawele family of Nanomaa near Oyibi, a suburb of Accra said, the assault case which has since been pending at the Cocoa Affairs, had not received any hearing since the case was taken to court.

In an interview with the Daily Searchlight at his residence in Tema, he said on the 27th of July, 2004 he was invited by an NGO, (Land for Life) to attend a durbar at Oyibi on the demarcation of boundaries of family lands of Nii Borketey Adjitiri and its neighbours to enable survey department to prepare accurate cadastral plans for all those who have interest in the area.

According to him, after waiting at the durbar ground for about an hour, he was approached by the then acting chief of Oyibi who told him he just spoke to the officials of the Land Commission and the Survey Department who claimed the programmed had been called off.

He said while they all decided to leave the durbar ground for their various homes, he offered to give his car to one of the clan heads who did not have a car to be taken home by his driver.

Clan head of the Okunekatawele family further revealed that immediately the driver went with the other family heads, he was surrounded by about thirty (30) people holding cutlasses and other offensive weapons to attack him and other seven (7) members of his family who were with him.

Nii Nmashie later disclosed that, when he attempted to find out from one Oko who had asked him to say his last prayers while he was being attacked, he revealed that they were sent by Nii Kwei-Dja Mensah who had asked them to attack him.

He said he was beaten with all kinds of implements and cutlasses and also lost his mobile phone, wrist watch, shoes and GH¢ 500.00, (that is GH¢ 5,000,000.00 old Ghana Cedi), while one Daddy Joe held his hands with his manhood and squeezed till blood started coming from it.

He said he was hit with an iron rod on the nose which made him collapse and only regained consciousness at the Legon Hospital where he was sent for treatment after the case was reported to the Madina Police Station.

Nii Nmashie said the case was later transferred to the Police Headquarters and handed over to one Inspector Folie to investigation.

According to him, when the case was called at the Cocoa Affairs Court, presided by Justice Wiliwise Kyeremeh, all the twenty-one (21) suspects were granted bail and since 2004 the case has never been called.

He said even though a letter had been written and signed by Mr. Eric F.A. Agbolosu, a Chief State Attorney to the effect that the case should be transferred to the High Court in 2006 and the case prosecuted, it had never been called at the Court again.

Anytime the case is called, it is adjourned, and that the last time the case was called in Court was on the 19th of December, 2009 at the Cocoa Affairs Court presided over by Mr. C.A. Wilson, he threaten to withdraw the case out of the court because the suspects have not been coming to court.

“When the State Attorney protested that the complainant had always come to court and that it was rather the accused that had refused to come to court, a bench warrant was issued for their arrest and the case adjourned to 24th March, 2010,” he alleged.

He said the State Attorney further protested at the long adjournment and impressed on the judge who adjourned it to January 2010.

Nii Nmashie said he decided to go to the media because he did not see any justice coming his way in this mater because it had been six (6) good years since he was assaulted and the court had not even started hearing his case, “Justice delayed is Justice denied,” he stressed.

According to him because of the way the police and the court had handled the case, the suspects are planning another attack on him and his life is in danger now.

“I am therefore appealing to the President through the Attorney General and the IGP to take up this case to ensure that justice Prevailed,” he added.