Young man shot in Okupehemea’s Palace allegedly by rival group

A young man has been injured after he was shot allegedly by a man from the Banmuhene’s palace in Akropong Akwapim.

The young man was in the Okupehemea’s palace when the unfortunate barbaric incident occurred.

The young man was part of a group of people at the Okupehema’s Palace who were there performing the 40th-day celebration and some traditional rites of the Late Abusuapayin of the Nketia Royal house at the Okuapehemea’s palace.

The young men from the Banmuhene’s palace allegedly stormed the Okuapehemea’s palace to stop the Okuapehemea and other mourners from observing the day.

In challenging them the Banmuhene’s boys fired the gun. They were there to stop the Okuapehemea and other visitors from not adhering to the Adaebutu that the Banmuhene’s had allegedly placed, thus the ban on Noise making and drumming which he claimed started last Wednesday.

Okuapeman has not known peace for some years now because of chieftaincy disputes and alleged government interference in the chieftaincy affairs.

The young man is currently on admission at the Orthopedic Medical Hospital at Mampong Akwapim. He’s said to be in critical condition because of the bullet he sustained.

Sources say they were asked to stop the program, but they refused and he was shot in the thigh. The incident has left many residents angry and are calling for a full-scale investigation because in the Okuapeman customs it’s not the Banmuhene who places a ban on noise making.

It is the Akyeamehene and the Adum house that has the responsibility to do so. Chieftaincy issues in Okuapeman are still riddled with misunderstanding as the Queen Mother of the Area is still litigating against the newly installed Paramount Chief, Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo

Firstly, the queenmother’s car was burnt, secondly, her house has been set ablaze. Moreover, the verdict given by the court saying that the family should nominate a candidate and present him to the Queen Mother to install a chief was not adhered to.

Even after installing the chief, he was not introduced to her and the Asonahene.

Currently, the case is before the National House of Chiefs and he has also not been gazetted.