IGP Dampare to Probe Anas’ Use of Policemen for ‘Illegal Operations’

The Inspector General of Police Dr George Akuffo Dampare is set to investigate journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas after a court found him liable for using Policemen and land guards’ protection for an illegal construction work at Tse-Ado, a suburb of Accra.

According to MyNewsGh.com the police hierarchy is not happy about the court ruling which cited the police for engaging in illegality by assisting land guards to protect Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ disputed land.

Sources in the police administration say it is likely Anas had the opportunity to deploy the police under COP Retired Asante-Apeatu who was said to regard Anas so highly and had allegedly sought Anas’ assistance in his lobbying to become IGP.

The police investigation is reportedly set to establish how the policemen were deployed to offer protection on the said land alongside land guards and any other operations on the blind side of the command.

The police administration has not officially commented on the development since the court ruling.

Court Case background

On May 4th this year, a high Court in Accra after more than 5 years of hearing fined Anas Aremeyaw Anas Ghs100,000 for land-grabbing, unlawful trespassing and use of Police and land guards to intimidate a legitimate land owner of his property.

As a result of the ruling, a glass factory located at Tse-Ado and a set of apartments built and owned by Anas Aremeyaw Anas on the said land is set to be Pulled Down by a court order.

Anas went ahead with his construction on the disputed land despite using police and land guards despite a court order urging him to put the project on hold until the land dispute is resolved.

Following a final judgment on the land which didn’t go in favour of Anas Aremeyaw Anas, the land owner, one Adolf Tetteh Adjei is set to pull down the structures and projects of Anas on the site.

The judge who presided over the land case, Justice Kwame Gyamfi Osei, awarded Ghs100,000 to Adolf Tetteh Adjei saying the land owner should use the amount for demolition instead of Anas Aremeyaw Anas doing the demolition himself.

Following the court ruling, Anas Aremeyaw Anas is said to have made several attempts to now negotiate with the land owner and pay for the full cost of the land so that his factory and apartments are not pulled down.

However, Adolf Tetteh Adjei has said he is not interested in selling the land to Anas after Anas Aremeyaw Anas used land guards and police to terrorize him for many years before he proceeded to court.

Sources told MyNewsGh.com the Glass Factory is a project Anas Aremeyaw Anas reportedly collaborated with some Chinese investors to construct at a time the land was in dispute between Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Adolf Tetteh Adjei.

According to court records, Anas Aremeyaw Anas used land guards and police to continue to build despite the land being a subject of a court litigation for which a stay was imposed subject to the conclusion of the case.

Evidence of Ownership

The dispute was about a 2 acre disputed land at Tse-Ado taken over by Anas Aremeyaw Anas in 2017. The court found Anas liable for trespassing and illegally building on someone’s land “using police and land guards day and night to brazenly deny Plaintiff from use of the land”.

In his defense, Anas told the court the said Adolf Tetteh’s claim of ownership of the land “was tainted by fraud”.

The court after examination of all of the facts concluded that “The law would not permit anyone to allege fraud without proving same beyond reasonable doubt. One would also not be permitted to win the sympathy of the court by alleging fraud against his adversary without proving same beyond reasonable doubt.”

The land owner, the said Adolf Tetteh said the disputed parcel of land is covered by Land Title Certificate No. GA. 464555 and dated 26 February 2015 and added a copy of the Title Certificate and the indenture covering the land to the court.

source: Mynewsgh