Court Proceedings Underway for Alleged Forgery in Chieftaincy Case
News Desk Report
In a notable case at the Sekondi Circuit Court, a self-identified chief and a former government official are facing serious allegations related to an alleged scheme to forge official documents in an attempt to secure a traditional leadership position. Emmanuel Assoua Nyami, who refers to himself as Katakyie Ntsiful Essel V, along with his alleged accomplice, Alfred Duodoo, has been charged with conspiracy to commit forgery with the intent to mislead public officials regarding chieftaincy declarations.
The case came to light following a formal complaint from Nana Abena Konajoa II, the Paramount Queenmother of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area. She claims that Nyami fabricated official Chieftaincy Declaration (CD) Forms in order to wrongfully register himself as the Omanhene of Wassa Fiase. Duodoo, a civil servant and former Registrar of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council, is alleged to have played a significant role in this scheme.
Court documents reveal that on or about October 20, 2016, in Sekondi-Takoradi, Nyami and Duodoo allegedly submitted false statements in CD Forms 1A and 1B to officials of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, and subsequently to the National House of Chiefs. Their goal was to have Nyami‘s name fraudulently entered into the National Register of Chiefs as the Omanhene of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area.
During the initial court session on July 29, significant details were brought to light. It was reported that Nyami staged an installation ceremony on October 19, 2016, at Dompim Pepesa, which was not the recognized location for such events. This ceremony occurred despite an ongoing chieftaincy dispute that had been officially resolved since 2017.
The day after the ceremony, the court heard that Nyami and Duodoo submitted the contested CD Forms, which allegedly contained numerous inaccuracies, including false claims regarding the lawful destoolment of Rev. William Chika Morgan as Omanhene and erroneous assertions about the location of Nyamiâs installation.
Prosecutors argue that Duodoo intended to submit these forged documents to the Western Regional House of Chiefs to gain official acceptance for Nyami, circumventing the necessary approval from the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council, the legitimate authority for such matters.
However, the scheme unraveled when both the Western and National Houses of Chiefs declined to process the forged documents. Despite this setback, Nyami reportedly pursued various legal actions based on these disputed representations, managing to obtain judicial orders that were later found to have been obtained through false statements.
In a separate civil suit earlier this year, the High Court in Tarkwa determined that Nyami had made untruthful statements under oath in order to secure prior court orders.
Following thorough investigations, both Nyami and Duodoo have been formally charged with forgery and conspiracy to forge official documents with the intent to mislead public officials. The prosecution asserts that their actions represented a calculated attempt to undermine both judicial and traditional authority, thus jeopardizing the integrity of the chieftaincy institution.
The Sekondi Circuit Court is scheduled to continue proceedings on September 2, 2025. As the case unfolds, it serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding the principles of justice and integrity within our traditional systems.