The chiefs and elders of Shai State in the Greater Accra Region have cautioned the general public to desist from buying land from one Asafoatse Teye Jahene Korabo IV and his agents.
They emphasized that anyone who engages in land transactions with Asafoatse Teye Jahene Korabo IV and his associates does so at their own risk.
The Head of the Saisi Clan of Kodiabe in the Shai–Osudoku District, Jaase Tetteh Adabang II, addressing Journalists at a press conference called on the Land Registration Division to urgently stop the registration of any land in Shai that does not belong to Asafoatse Teye Jahene Korabo IV, in order to prevent any future disputes.
Registration of Shai State
Back then, Shai State wasn’t registered with the appropriate authorities. The registration process involved writing to corresponding divisional authorities to seek concerns.
The divisional authorities will then undertake investigations and background searches before approving the custodian of the land.
I sought consent from the Lekpeje divisional authorities, together with all documents and records for their approval. The divisional authorities replied to my letter by stating that the land belongs to the Terkpernor-Agblezey family, therefore, I have all legal rights to register the land. I began registering the land in 2004 at the Lands Commission.
As of then, Asafoatse Teijahene had no document about the ownership of the land. The registration process continued in 2008 and included that of Sun City (Falcon Crest).
I was later informed that Asafoatse Teijahene had gone to confront the owners of Sun City (Falcon Crest) when they were developing their land.
The owners replied that I sold the land to them which Asafoatse Teijahene confirmed with a verbal reply that I am his brother and that they can continue to develop the land. Asafoatse Teijahene returned after a week to the owners of Sun City that a thin portion of the land from which I had sold to them belonged to him.
When I asked him about the reason for his confrontation with the owners of Sun City, he said he only went to check up on the workers when he realized there was some development underway and never told the owners nor the workers, he owed any portion of the land.
In the later years of 2007, the owner of Sun City was issued a Writ of Sermon to appear before a court by Asafoatse Teijahene claiming he was the owner of the land.
I was surprised at the writ of sermons. Members of the Press how can Asafoatse Teijahene proclaim that the land belongs to Agblezey family and later want to claim that same land which does not belong to him? I followed up with the case against Sun City in court.
During the court procedures, he was asked to submit documents and proofs to indicate he was the rightful owner of the land, of which he was unable to turn in all of such documents.
The to-and-fro, from the court proceedings, was delaying the estate developer’s project.
The developers realized that the case could drag on longer therefore, for the sake of peace they decided to pay off Asafoatse Teijahene although the land belongs to the Terkpehnor Agblezey. The judge then ruled on the matter and he was paid off.
Asafoatse Teijahene, later after this ruling, dragged the Paramount Chief to court claiming the whole of Lekpeje Lands belonged to him. I was very surprised because even with his current residence at Jorpanya, it was my great-grandparents who established that settlement back when they were at Shai Hills.
Attempt To Unlawfully Possess Our Lands
Our current land size is 59,000 acres. He unlawfully developed a geographic plan claiming ownership of over 100,000 acres.
The plan covered lands in Jorpanya throughout Kodiabe, Agomeda, Luom, Bondase, and some portions of Doryumu lands, claiming them as his; meaning he’s taking over the entire town of Shai.
He went ahead to submitted that plan to the Lands Commission for registration. This resulted in, the commission contacting me for the immediate attention that someone is trying to possess our lands.
The very moment I saw his plans at the Lands Commission, I had to contact my lawyers about his actions.
My lawyers wrote to the lands commission, informing them of his unlawful attempt to claim ownership and possession of these lands which caused the commission to reject his application for the registration of these lands.
Our current land size is 59,000 acres but Asafoatse Teye Jahene Korabo IV unlawfully developed a geographic plan claiming ownership of over 100,000 acres.
The plan covered lands in Jorpanya all through the entirety of Kodiabe, Agomeda, Luom, Bondase, and some portions of Doryumu lands.
As a matter of urgency, the Shai State is therefore calling on the Government, the Ghana Police Service, and the National Security to urgently intervene in the dispute over the ownership of the Shai lands so as to prevent mayhem in the near future.
Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/newsghana.com.gh
