The principal witness in the on-going Denkyira Palace ownership trial, Nana Ayensuwaa Saara III has said that, Ebusuapanin Nuamah cannot claim ownership of the ancient palace in dispute with mere rhetorics.
Giving her evidence under cross-examination at a Cape Coast High Court yesterday, she said, the building in dispute was registered in 1912 as a tribunal and also had a prison for the Denkyira state.
She further averred that, though the building was put up during the reigns of Nana Nkwantabisa I, it was never meant to be his private house, but rather, Denkyira property that was built during his time.
She further claimed that, all successive Kings of Denkyira have used same property as their palace and wondered how a private property could have a court and also a prison.
Lawyer Garry Nimako, counsel for the plaintiff put to her that, the mere fact that, successive Kings had used the property did not necessarily suggest that, ownership had been vested in the Denkyira State
Nana Hemaa, however answered that, ownership of such a historic property cannot be claimed with empty rhetorics.
Her statement marked as exhibit 1 and 1A before the court suggest and attest that, Gold Coast list clearly indicated that, the Denkyira palace had a tribunal and a prison.
After her cross-examination, which lasted almost three hours, there were still three more denfence witnesses to be called.
The case has been adjourned to the 4th of July.
Background
It would be recalled that, the Denkyira Traditional Council (DTC) and the Denkyira Hemaa, Nana Ayensuwa Saara III planned to build a befitting palace before the final burial of the late King.
In view of this, the dilapidated building that once served as the palace of the late king and others before him, was pulled down to have a more modern one built.
Nevertheless, this was fiercely resisted by a faction within the Agona family led by Ebusuapanin Nuama who sued the Denkyirahemaa at the Cape Coast High Court 3.
Ebusuapanin Nuamah who was peeved by the collapse of the 19th century building, instituted the legal action claiming that the said building was a private property of the late Nana Nkwantabisa I.
He averred that the late King, Nana Nkwantabisa I lived in the said building with his wife and children during his reign as his private residence.
This was disputed by the Denkyira Queen mother who stated that the said building was built purposely to serve as the palace of the Denkyira State.
In her statement of defence, Nana Ayensuwa stated categorically that “the house in dispute has variously been used and occupied by all the successive Kings of Denkyira State”.
She consistently maintained that the property in disagreement was the official palace of the Kings of Denkyira State and served same purpose during the reigns of all the five Denkyira Kings who ruled before Odeεfoↄ Boa Amponsam III.
Inadvertently, the ensued litigation of the building has affected the plans of the Denkyira Traditional Council to give their late King Odeεfoↄ Boa Amponsam III a befitting burial.
The late King of the Denkyira State has remained at the mortuary since he died about three years ago.
According to reliable family sources, the current impasse in the Royal Agona family which is sharply divided is the cause.
Two factions within the family are legally battling over the late Nana Nkwantabisa’s building which was built in the 19th century.
The contention is whether the said building was built by the late King Nkwantabisa as his private place of abode or for the purposes of serving as the place of the Kings of Denkyira.
While Ebusuapanin Nuamah is averring that the building was a private property of the late King in the case under trial, the queen mother of Denkyira Nana Ayensuwa Saara has maintained that the said building was built as the palace of the Kings of Denkyira.
Source: The New Independent
