Nii Arde Nkpa VII cannot hold himself as chief — Traditional Council
The Judicial Committee of the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Council has declared that Nii Arde Nkpa VII can no longer hold himself as the Mantse of Plerno, James Town, Accra.
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It has, therefore, ordered Nii Arde Nkpa VII to return to the family all royal paraphernalia in his possession and render an account covering all land sales he has made on behalf of the family.
The committee gave the order after it had upheld an action initiated by Nii Ayisah Sasraku III, Dzasetse of the Nii Arde Nkpa We of Plerno and six others for a declaration that Nii Arde Nkpa VII had been customarily destooled by the kingmakers of the Nii Arde Nkpa We of Plerno, James Town.
The other plaintiffs in the case were Nii Numoo I, Naa Adua Oklebeshie I, Mrs Jesse Tachiwa Tagoe, Asafoanye Ananaa, Nii Teiko and Mrs Victoria Akweley Ansahbrenya, all principal elders of the Nii Arde Nkpa We of Plerno.
Judgement
In its judgement, the four-member committee, presided over by Nii Ngleshie Addy V, expressed the belief that the defendant, Nii Arde Nkpa VII, and his lawyer had lost interest in the matter.
It also observed that the defendant and his counsel wanted to conduct the proceedings of the court at their leisure, which in the committee’s opinion was unacceptable.
According to the committee, Mr Asiedu Darko had at all times acted as counsel for Nii Arde Nkpa VII.
Persistent absence
The committee said Mr Darko had been persistently absent from court and that at its last sitting on August 6, 2015, counsel, per an application letter, prayed for an adjournment to any day after September 28, 2015 to enable him to attend court.
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“We heeded to his request and adjourned the case to Tuesday, September 29, 2015 to make it possible for him and his client to attend court,” it stated.
Surprisingly, it said, when the case was called on September 29, 2015, Mr Asiedu and the defendant were absent from court, without any word to the committee.
“It was alleged that Lawyer Asiedu was at the High Court in Accra on a different issue while his client, we were told, had travelled to the Volta Region. Eye witnesses proved that Nii Arde Nkpa VII, the defendant, was in Accra moving about freely without any attempt to attend court.”
“We, Nii Mei, have found the conduct of Lawyer Asiedu and his client to be regrettable and unacceptable. Looking at the chequered history of the matter before us, it seems Ni Arde Nkpa VII and his lawyer has lost interests in the matter.
Unacceptable conduct
“They want to conduct the proceedings of this court at their leisure, which in the circumstance is unacceptable by us. The time has now come for us to reject the numerous excuses from the defendant’s end,” it added.
The committee said having listened to Nii Ayisah Sasraku III, spokesman for the plaintiffs, and having gone through all the court processes, procedures, rules and regulations, it had no option but to uphold the declarations of the plaintiffs.
Cost
Cost of GH¢350 was awarded in favour of the plaintiffs.
Other members of the committee were Nii Ngleshie Addy V, Nii Odematey I and Nii Ashifla Okudzenman I.