On Thursday, August 9, 2023, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II ordered the destoolment of the Chief of Abodom-Bekwai Nana Saforo Koto on grounds of various offences including abandoning his stool and engaging in the sale of lands for illegal small-scale mining (galamsey).
During a trial at the Otumfuo’s court, as much as 20 charges were pressed against Nana Saforo Koto who failed in his defence and eventually admitted his guilt.
Addressing the court before the Otumfuo issued his judgement on the matter, a chief linguist at the Manhyia Palace, Otumfuo Kyeame Kwaku Owusu told the court how Nana Saforo had described his subjects as fools for questioning his behaviour.
“Remember, my lord there was a time your people went to a radio station because they had no way of reaching you with their grievances about Abodomhene. They were hoping such reports on the radio will gain your attention, that is why some of them resorted to the media.
“So they reported all the things Abodomhene was subjecting them to in the media and when a journalist reached out to him about the accusation his response was that ‘forget about my town folks, they are all fools.’
“I tell you; I have all the recordings and the interviewer asked that if your subjects are fools then you must be the chief of fools,” the linguist stated.
The Otumfuo Kyeame who gave Nana Saforo a dressing down for his behaviour cited how the chief had failed to heed to the advice of other chiefs to turn a new leaf emphasising that the Abodomhene had become the architect of his own downfall.
The charges against the chief predominantly revolved around the alleged unrestricted sale of land to illegal miners, a practice fuelling the destructive illegal small-scale mining alias ‘galamsey’ operations that have wreaked havoc on local water bodies.
He was also accused of neglecting his community duties for an extended period of 7 years, resulting in the abandonment of critical traditional rites and rituals within the stool house, along with other customary activities.
Subordinates operating under his authority also took issue with Nana Saforo Koto’s blatant disregard for essential traditional practices associated with his position.
After attentively considering the perspectives of various divisional chiefs and assessing the available evidence, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II deemed Nana Saforo Koto culpable on all counts. Consequently, the decision was reached to strip him of his title.
Source: ghanaweb.com
