Confusion over sale of lands at Dansoman, Gbawe

Alleged illegal sale of lands at Dansoman, Gbawe and surrounding communities in Accra has resulted in direct confrontation between chiefs and some estate and private developers.

Whereas the chiefs claim to have no dealings with the estate developers, the latter have said they have documents to prove the sale of the lands to them.

The situation, which has resulted in confusion between the two parties, has compelled the Accra Central Police Command to step in to address the problem.

Stolen identity

The matter was first reported to the police by the Chief of Dansoman, Nii Kojo Danso II, following reports he received that a private businessman who bore his name and was using fake documents, had allegedly sold some lands in the area to estate and private developers.

According to the chief, the culprit had sold lands in various places in Dansoman and Gbawe, which share boundaries.

In an allegedly forged document that the chief showed to this reporter, the perpetrator had assumed the name of Nii Danso’s father, who died in 2011, and sold plots of land to a private developer.

In another document, the alleged forger had again faked the signatures of certain elders of the Dansoman stool and had sold lands to a businessman who had planned to build an office for the establishment of a company.

According to Nii Danso II, although the matter came to his attention earlier in the year, he thought it was not worth delving into since nobody had reported any case of fraud to him.

“We became more concerned only when we noticed the lands in question were being developed. We realised that many of the developers had in their possession fake documents signed by my late father and some elders,” he said.

Nii Danso said efforts to get the mastermind behind the illegal sale of lands had proved futile, hence his decision to report the matter to the police.

Under the circumstances, he has asked estate and private developers not to transact business regarding land sales with anybody claiming to have been sent by him.

Nii Danso also warned those who had earlier bought lands from the culprit to desist from undertaking any projects on the said lands to avoid any confrontation.

Victim

A victim, who pleaded anonymity, told the Daily Graphic that all the documents he had in his possession were signed by the chief.