Prampram Chief KILLED

Reliable information reaching THE PUBLISHER indicates that the Acting President of the Prampram Traditional Area, Nene Atsure Benta III, was murdered in cold blood yesterday by some unknown assailants.

Nene Benta, who also doubles as the Mankralo of Prampram, was returning from an assignment at the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs at Dodowa when he was shot several times in the head and ribs, at Apolonia near Afiyienya reports say.

It is not clear what must have been the motive behind the gruesome royal murder, but residents believe it had to do with attempts earlier in the day by some elders of the area to destool him.

Both the Ningo-Prampram District Police Commander, DSP Issah Mohammed Cantona and District Chief Executive of the Ningo/Prampram Assembly, Hon. Jonathan Doku, confirmed the incident, but would not give details.

There is uneasy calm at Prampram as a result of chieftaincy dispute that is rearing its ugly head in the area.

The dispute is said to be between the Manklalo Nene Atsure Benta III, who doubles as the acting President of the Prampram Traditional Area.

Tension had been mounting at Prampram since Wednesday as some elders in the area were up in arms against the late chief over some traditional performances they consider as stool desecration.

THE PUBLISHER gathered that, subsequently, some disgruntled members of the royal family, led by the stool father (name withheld) and a number of some hired land guards, on Wednesday December 12th, 2018, tried to forcefully destoole him.

It was further alleged that a fetish priest and an elder to the stool were injured in the heat of an ensuing commotion.

However, the Ningo-Prampram police responded swiftly to a distress call where they were able to temporarily bring the situation under control.

The police reportedly advised the aggrieved party to use the courts or laid down procedures to destool the chief if they thought destoolmemt was what would resolve the concerns in the traditional council.

Few hours after the police intervention, reports came through that Nene Atsure Benta III, who had left for Dodowa, was murdered while returning to Prampram.

“Issues like this are purely chieftaincy, and it has officially also not been reported to me. But that is not to say it has happened or has not happened so when it is reported to me I will know what to do” Jonathan Doku told THE PUBLISHER in an interview.

A crucial District Security Council (DISEC) meeting was underway as at the time of filing this report.

Stay Tuned

By: Daniel Akpaloo Nyorngmor