Five persons including a pastor have been remanded by a Magistrate Court at Kuntenase in the Atwima Kwanwoma District over a failed assassination attempt on the chief of Pakyi Number One. They are to reappear in court in two weeks time.
Nana Gyamfi Mensah-Bonsu, who was the target, escaped unhurt when the gunshot was fired at his four Wheel Drive Ford at about 7pm on the Kumasi-Obuasi road. But his aide, Yaw Donkor, who sat in the front passenger seat, was hit in the neck and head.
He has since been treated and discharged from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, KATH. The Chief was on his way to Kumasi after presiding over a meeting with his elders.
Assistant Divisional Crimes Officer at Asokwa, ASP Simon Denteh, tells Ultimate Radio, security will be beefed up in the community. He says they suspect an element of chieftaincy dispute in the attack. According to him, the chief who was installed not too long ago, had some opposition who could be behind the attack.
He however says investigations are still ongoing into the matter. He says the police will not compromise security for the chief and his family and for the community.
However a visit by Ultimate Radio to the Pakyi Number One community revealed that the key suspect, one Pastor Kwabena Boateng, has a land dispute to settle with the chief. The other suspects are Obiri Yeboah, Kwadwo Adasi, Kwabena Wireko and Kwabena Badu. There was no sign of panic in the town since the perceived dispute is only between the two men.
The Chief’s brother, who spoke to Ultimate Radio’s Nana Oye Diabene, confirmed that the chief had a long-standing land dispute to settle with the key suspect.
“The chief was on his way to Kumasi after a meeting with his elders. But before he set off, there was a taxi that also trailed behind him. And anywhere he stopped, the taxi also stopped. So when he got to a junction and attempted to enter the main road to Kumasi, the taxi again crossed his car. And at that point if he had stopped, he would have been hit. So immediately he negotiated a curve into the main road, the gunshots were heard behind him. His driver on the passenger seat was hit by the bullet at the back of his head. The Chief has a land dispute with the key suspect. For now the chief is doing well” he noted.
In recent past, there have been several cases of assassination of chiefs mainly due to disputes.