The Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs has confirmed Okusiaku-Brempong Kumi Sasraku VII as the legitimate paramount chief of Anum Traditional Area. This follows an injunction application brought before the Judicial Committee by Nana Kolihue XI, the Kyedomhene of the Anum Traditional Council, against the supporters of one Owusu Daniel Dickson, who had been referring to himself as the Omanhene.
A three-member committee, chaired by Nene Sackite II, ruled in favour of Okusiaku-Brempong Kumi Sasraku VII, restraining Mr Dickson from representing himself paramount chief of the Anum Traditional Area, and barring his supporters from endorsing his claims.
The Law
The ruling highlighted that it is settled in law that two persons cannot occupy the same stool in the same town at the same time, in order to avoid confusion. The judgment also noted that, as per Section 59(1)(8) of the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759), the National House of Chiefs is to maintain a “National Register of Chiefs” as a register for all chiefs in Ghana, stating that having a person’s name in the Register of Chiefs is a presumption that the person is the legitimate chief.
In view of this, the Judicial Committee ruled that since Okusiaku-Brempong Kumi Sasraku VII was enstooled on 5th May and formally inducted into the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs on 13th July 2023, with his name officially entered into the Register of Chiefs, he was the legitimate chief of the area, restraining Mr Dickson and his supporters from presenting him as the Omanhene.
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