Nana Agyenim Boateng
Nana Agyenim Boateng, popularly called Gyataba, the 2016 presidential candidate of the United Front Party (UFP), has dragged Chief Superintendent C. O. Lomotey, the Suame District Police Commander, and four heavily built men to a Kumasi High Court for forcibly seizing two Fiat pickups belonging to him and two others.
Gyataba, who is a businessman, took the legal action with UPF and Tanink Ghana Limited, a Tema-based automobile dealers, as plaintiffs, against the police chief and the four, Francis Asante, Nana Prempeh, Dada Nasco and Saliu.
The plaintiffs are praying the court to declare the defendants’ conduct of storming its worksite at Fufuo, near Barekese in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of the Ashanti Region and forcibly towing the two vehicles to the Suame Police Station as unlawful and unconstitutional.
They are also praying the court for an order for the release of the vehicles with registration numbers GM 1413 – 16 and GM 1842 – 16 to them.
Plaintiffs are praying the court for general and special damages jointly and severally against the defendants.
In a writ of summons dated February 7, 2017, filed by William Osei Kuffuor Esq. lawyer for the plaintiffs, it was stated that sometime in 2016, the UFP represented by its flagbearer, Agyenim Boateng, entered into an agreement for the purchase of the two vehicles from Tanink Ghana Limited.
By the agreement, UFP was to pay for the cost of the vehicles by installments, whereupon on completion of payment the title documents of the vehicles would be transferred into the name of the party.
Agyenim Boateng took possession of the vehicles thereafter, and used them for UFP activities until the defendants forcibly seized them on March 2, 2017 allegedly on the instructions of the Suame District Police Commander.
When Agyenim Boateng’s workers resisted the seizure of the vehicles, the defendants threatened to shoot and kill anyone who would interfere with their operation.
The UFP founder and leader said the vehicles were towed to the Suame Police Station, adding that they were damaged as a result of their poor handling.
“The several and collective conduct of the defendants in depriving us of the exclusive access to our property is unlawful and a breach of our constitutional rights,” the plaintiffs contended.
Gyataba claimed his party was entitled to general and special damages from the defendants and that only the intervention of the court would ensure fairness and justice in the case.
From James Quansah, Kumasi
