Kojo Ansah
Reports reaching DAILY GUIDE , indicate that Opanyin Yaw Atua of Kwahu Mpraeso Kronti Division, who is also the chairman of Akyem New Tafo branch of the Ghana Private Road and Transport Unit (GPRTU), has vowed to invoke a curse, through Antoa and other deities, on one Kojo Ansah, the Eastern Regional Correspondent of Daily Heritage, for a libellous publication about him.
The reporter, in an article said, alleged that the GPRTU chairman had disguised himself as a chief and swindled the Eastern Regional District Police Commander, DCOP Yaagy Akuriba, to effect the transfer of the Akyem Tafo Police Commander, ASP John Yeboah, which had resulted in public agitations. However, Opanyin Yaw Atua admitted that he dressed in royal regalia, accompanied by his aids, when he went to the commander’s office.
He said the invocation of Antoa was the only means by which he could clear his name if the reporter failed to retract the story and apologise.
He is said to have demanded a retraction of the story, GH¢500, a sheep and a bottle of schnapp to be used to cleanse the Kronti stool at Kwahu Mpraeso.
Reports reaching DAILY GUIDE indicate that the man has already bought six local eggs, schnapps and a sheep for the rituals to be performed in Kumasi if the above demands were not met.
It is alleged that Opanyin Yaw Atua is well known for invoking the Anto deity as a mean of seeking justice, and has succeeded in killing some individuals who offended him.
In the publication in question—published in the Daily Heritage on Friday August 15, 2014—the reporter alleged that ‘The Tafo Branch Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Yaw Atua, who disguised himself as the Krontihene of Kwahu Mpraeso and succeeded in deceiving the Eastern Regional Commander of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Yaagy Akuriba, to cause the transfer of the Akyem Tafo District Police Commander, ASP John Yeboah, has been exposed.
The fake chief, prior to embarking on the disguise mission, was under investigation for allegedly stealing GH¢6,000 left in a taxi by a passenger.’
Following the request, according to the reporter, the Eastern Regional Police Commander moved the Akyem Tafo District Commander to the regional police headquarters.
Reports reaching DAILY GUIDE indicate that the reported action of the GPRTU chairman had been met with stiff opposition and agitations by the residents of Akyem Tafo and its environs. They are reported to have subsequently called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Alhassan, to intervene.
The residents reportedly said the allegations of corruption levelled against the district commander were untrue, and that Opanyin Yaw Atua was a fake chief.
When contacted the officer who had been transferred, refuted the allegations levelled against him and declined to comment further on the matter.
Interview with DAILY GUIDE
In an interview, Mr Atua, the Tafo branch chairman of the GPRTU, admitted dressing as a chief to the regional commander’s office because he was from the royal family.
He denied the allegation of embezzling an amount of GH¢6,000 given to him, adding that the said money was given to its rightful owner.
The GPRTU chairman insisted that he was a royal from the Kwahu Mpraeso Asona royal family. He revealed that he dressed like a royal, not as a chief, to the regional police commander’s office with his men to lodge a complaint to the commander on behalf of the drivers and concerned people of Tafo. He pointed out that he did not go there in the name of the traditional council.
He said he still stood by his claim that the AkyemTafo District Police Commander, ASP John Yeboah, was corrupt, but added that he did not influence the decision to transfer the said officer. Without mincing words, he stated that if the reporter insisted on not rendering an apology to him, then time would tell.
When DAILY GUIDE contacted Kojo Ansah, he said he would discuss with his Editor about the way forward regarding the demands of the GPRTU chairman.
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Akyem Tafo
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