An Accra High Court has ordered for the demolition of a set of apartments and a glass factory owned by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas at Tse-Ado in Accra.

This is after Justice Kwame Gyamfi Osei, who presided over a land dispute case between the journalist and one Adolf Tetteh Adjei ruled that the former illegally built on the piece of land at Tse-Ado.

Anas in 2017 went ahead with his construction on a 2 acre disputed land despite a court order urging him to put the project on hold until the land dispute is resolved.

After examining the evidence provided by Adolf Tetteh Adjei, the court found the journalist guilty of trespassing and illegally restricting its owner of use by “using police and land guards", an awarded the plaintiff GHS100,000 which is to be used to cover the cost of demolition.

Following the court ruling, Anas Aremeyaw Anas is said to have made several attempts to negotiate with the land owner and pay for the full cost of the land. However, Adolf Tetteh Adjei is said to have refused the request.

What transpired in court

The land owner, the said Adolf Tetteh said the disputed parcel of land is covered by Land Title Certificate No. GA. 464555 and dated 26 February 2015 and added a copy of the Title Certificate and the indenture covering the land to the court.

Adolf Tetteh informed the court his Sub-lessor has also always been in effective possession of the land and had registered it in 2007 under Land Title

Certificate No. GA26393. The Sub-lessor also acquired the land with Title Certificate No. GA 19310 with photocopies of the said Land Title

Certificate No. GA 19310 and Land Title Certificate No. GA 25462 all presented in court.

Adolf Tetteh said Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ claim of customary grant of the land to him by a certain Ga family was “a merely a ploy to deceive the court”.

The Plaintiff told the court that Anas showed up one day and “caused a signpost to be erected on the land with the inscription “Tiger Eye Property. Keep off” and also employed the services of land guards to purportedly provide security for his unlawful construction works.”

Source: The Independent Ghana