Gbese Stool factions engage in Skirmishes

THE two feuding factions of the Gbese Manste stool saga in Accra on Saturday, were engaged in a series of skirmishes to prevent each other from occupying the palace.
According to the James Town District Police Commander, Superintendent E. K. Asare, his outfit had a distress call that there were some disturbances at the Gbese Manste's palace, so he mobilised his men a with support from the Regional Police Command and went there to restore order.
Supt. Asare explained that before the December 2008 general elections, his outfit received a letter from Nii Okaidja III, one of the claimants to the stool notifying the police of his intention to visit the palace which supporters of Nii Ayibontey, another claimant had been occupying.
"We advised him against pursuing that visit and wait till the elections were over before he could embark on that visit and he agreed so after the elections he again sought our permission to go there and we did not deny him that request but refused to provide him security", he stated.
"When we got to the scene, we searched the whole place and everyone we saw there but found no guns and some of the offensive weapons that residents alleged they were being brutalised with", he stated but pointed out that after observing the tension that had mounted there he had to ensure that his patrol team made a series of checks at the premises of the palace which was being occupied by followers of Nii Okaidja III.
According to him, the residents in the community had alleged that followers of Nii Okaidja III had at dawn, after they had left the scene, forcefully ejected the followers of Nii Ayibontey II from the palace, resulting in two reported casualties, and had taken possession of the palace.
The matter, he indicated was still in court and the court had not given them any direction as to what to do concerning conflict.
At present, he said the issue had been reported to the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Oppong Boanuh who was conferring with the Inspector General of Police to see how best to resolve the problem.
“We are also arranging with the Regional Police Command for an amour car to be stationed there, considering the tension mounting there” , he pointed out that the police would not relent in their effort to protect the residents of the community.
Supt Asare further mentioned that the two Police Chiefs would call the leaders of the two feuding factions, to call their followers to order.
In a related development, he said the police were also investigating an alleged incident involving Henry Tetteh alias “Mini Okee” and four of his colleagues who threatened the followers of Nii Okaidja III when they besieged the palace and indiscriminately fired warning shots to intimidate the occupants.
When the Daily Graphic visited the scene, the streets around the palace were deserted and burnt items were scattered all over the place, whilst followers of Nii Okaidja III guarded in the palace, warding off residents they suspected to be supporters of Nii Ayibontey II.