What began as the redevelopment of a family property acquired in 1997 at Adjiringanor in Accra has landed two men before an Accra Circuit Court, following allegations of harassment, assault and attempts to take over the land.
The accused persons, Gabriel Abotsi Ahor, 29, a carpenter, and Benjamin Essel, 32, a concrete mixer, are facing charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, namely engaging in land guard activities, and causing unlawful damage.
They appeared before the court, presided over by Mr Stephen Oppong, who remanded them into police custody to reappear on September 23, 2026.
The accused persons became emotional following the court's decision, with Ahor and Essel kneeling in court and pleading with the complainant, Samuel Adanuo, for forgiveness amid tears.
Three alleged accomplices, identified as Watara, Usha and Shamsudeen Hussein, are said to be at large.
The facts presented to the court by the prosecutor, Mr Wisdom Ahiabor, indicated that the complainant is a public servant residing at Community 25, Tema. Ahor is a resident of Shiashie, while Essel resides at Ablekuma, all suburbs of Accra.
According to the prosecution, in 1997, the complainant's father purchased two plots of land at Adjiringanor from the Family Head of the Ashong Mitse Odatei Family, Seth Laryea Mensah.
The prosecutor said that after obtaining the relevant documents for the land, the complainant's father constructed a 10-bedroom house and other structures on the property.
Following his death, ownership of the property was transferred to the complainant and her two siblings.
The prosecutor said that in July 2026, the complainant and one of her siblings demolished the existing structures to make way for the construction of a modern house.
However, while construction was ongoing, the accused persons, together with Watara, Usha and Shamsudeen Hussein, allegedly harassed and threatened the complainant in an attempt to take over the land.
On July 15, 2026, the accused persons, armed with cutlasses and other tools, allegedly invaded the property while the complainant and some workers were there.
They allegedly assaulted the complainant and two workers, identified as Atsu Michael and Joshua Ahinful, seized their tools and chased them off the property.
The alleged harassment continued, prompting the complainant to petition the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on August 26, 2026.
The prosecution said that on September 5, 2026, at about 8 p.m., the police received information from the complainant that the accused persons and their accomplices were again on the land.
A team of police personnel was subsequently deployed to the site. On seeing the police officers, the accused persons and their accomplices allegedly fled.
The police pursued them and apprehended Ahor and Essel, while the others escaped. The prosecution said efforts were underway to apprehend the remaining suspects.
The prosecutor further told the court that efforts were also underway to apprehend the alleged masterminds behind the activities.
The court was also told that Ahor had failed to provide the police with a verifiable address.
