Joy Engulfs Ashanti Region As Asantehene Cracks Whip On Corrupt Chiefs

Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II

Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana, May 19, 2019//-Residents in Ashanti Region have joyously welcomed the order by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, suspending the Asantehemaa’s Court sine die.

 The order lasts till the Asantehene selects chiefs he can trust to honestly sit at the Court.

The court is presided over by the Asantehemaa with queenmothers and chiefs as members. It sits on Tuesdays and Thursdays and settles disputes on social issues, involving marriages, quarrels, curses and cheating, etc.

The Asantehemaa’s Court is said in recent years to be corrupt as some chiefs and linguists there take bribes and adjudicate cases dishonestly. Palace workers confirm the disgusting practice in the grapevine.

The Asante Monarch has assured the people of Asanteman that he would select a team of trusted chiefs to take over the affairs of the Court at the appropriate time and also served a clear warning to all chiefs that any unauthorised chief who sat at the Court would be arrested.

Reacting to the good news from the Manhyia Palace, the Asante Youth Association (AYA) said “AYA members are very grateful to Otumfuo for the bold step. We are aware of the behavior of some of our respected chiefs and we are happy Otumfuo has also seen it and has taken a right decision in fighting corruption”.

Culturally, people have faith in the traditional system of justice. The aggrieved person or complainant states their cases, after which the accused are made to interrogate them. Thereafter, the accused or defendant also states their case and answers questions from the complainant before the panel members intervened to ask questions to come to a better understanding of the issues.

Meanwhile as the people hail the Asantehene for his effort to clamp down corruption among the chiefs and ensure sanity and confidence in the traditional court system there is visible fear among chiefs who have been handling chieftaincy and land litigation issues in the region.

By Oppong Baah, African Eye Report

 

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