The Akropong District Police Commander, Superintendent Stephen Tetteh, has said, it would not be reasonable to immediately prosecute four kingmakers arrested over the weekend for flouting the ban on public gathering.
According to him, the security situation in Akropong is still volatile therefore it will not be prudent to initiate legal process against the royals while efforts are being made to restore peace in Okuapeman.
He, however, hastened to add that, the Command is waiting for advice by superiors for the next line of action.
Responding to criticisms that Security reneged on its duties in enforcing the ban on public gathering restrictions, Superintendent Stephen Tetteh, admitted that the security was overwhelmed by the crowd that thronged the forecourt of the Okuapehene Chief’s Palace on Friday.
The four (4) kingmakers arrested were expected to report to Police today Monday.
They were arrested for enstooling a Paramount Chief – Oseedeayo Kwasi Akuffo II – as new Okuapehene.
But the defence of the Kingmaker put forth by Odehye Kofi Asiedu Adu Mfum -one of the persons arrested was that officially only 11 persons including 8 Kingmakers were accredited to take part in the ceremony on Saturday, therefore, it was the responsibility of the security to ensure that onlookers who thronged the place were driven away.
Meanwhile, Akuapem North Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) has prescribed to Chiefs and Kingmakers in Akropong-Akuapem in the Eastern region to hold on with all public traditional events.
The Council has also directed that Nananom strictly adhere to social distancing and gathering protocols if the event is being done in private.
Akuapem North Municipality has recorded three (3) confirmed cases of coronavirus out of the total 87 recorded in the region as of May 2, 2020.
According to the Municipal Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Dennis Aboagye,” with this experience, any other activity that Nananom want to perform, of course, the traditional chiefdom they are our partners and key stakeholders. So if there are additional activities they are going to perform, we need to have a conversation with them”
He continued that “If it is one that will be done in Privacy then, of course, there is no problem but the one that is likely to pull the sort of crowd we saw, then we will have a conversation with Nananom as much as possible if they could or they should actually hold on with such public event that could draw so much crowd and put all of us our lives at risk.”
Source:Starr FM