The former Akim Oda Constituency Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Awudu Issaka, who also doubles as a National security official attached to the office of the vice president, has allegedly assaulted Madam Irene Brego over a disputed parcel of land at Tse Addo.
The patch in question, per the documents available, was purchased by Madam Irene’s son, Mr Riis Sorsah.
According to Madam Irene, Riis bought the two plots of land a few years ago and has the appropriate documentation to prove its ownership.
About three weeks ago, Mr. Awudu Issaka called to threaten Mr. Riis Sorsah, giving him three days to vacate the land or have his housing property currently under construction demolished.
Riis reported the incident to the Cantonment police station, where both parties were asked to provide proof of ownership of the said lad.
While Mr Riis provided the agreed-upon documents, Mr. Issaka did not attend the meeting initially but later showed up with some people he claimed had sold the land to him. He did so without any documentation to back his claim.
The crime officer then advised them to settle their dispute in court.
A week later, on the evening of Tuesday, 7th November, Mr. Issaka brought land guards to the land and assaulted Madam Irene and her daughter, halting their workers on-site at gunpoint.
Madam Irene has filed a complaint at the Labadi police station for further investigation.
When contacted for his side of the story, Mr. Awudu Issaka said, “My brother, Abdul Razak Muhammed, who lives in the United Kingdom, bought two plots of land at Tse Addo in Accra with all the legal documents to authenticate it, built a single-room and assigned a caretaker to look after the patch. But later, the caretaker connived with one Mr. Baba and resold the parcel of land Riis Sorsah, also known as Nana Yaw. This issue led to litigation, and the dispute was lodged at the Cantonments Police Station in Accra by Mr. Riis. The police requested us to provide a land ownership document, which my brother did comply with. However, Mr. Riis Sorsah has failed to come forward with his so-called title deed. My brother and I did not assault anyone. We went to the site and saw masons, carpenters, and electricians working for Mr. Riis – constructing a housing project – having encroached on the land. A verbal confrontation ensued, and we left the scene to leave the matter to the law enforcement agencies to handle. That is what happened. We never attacked Madam Irene Brego and her daughter, neither did we destroy any of their belongings.”
Mr. Awudu Issaka indicated that before Nana Yaw reported him to the Cantonments Police, he and his brother, Abdul Razak Muhammed, the lawful owner of the land, filed a petition at the National Police Headquarters in Accra to investigate the dispute, locate and arrest Mr. Baba and bring the matter to its finality. He contended that Mr. Riis, whom he describes as the encroacher, and Madam Irene Brego were scheming to snatch his brother’s land from him illegally. He, therefore, urged Mr. Riis to return to the police and submit proof of ownership of the land to resolve the controversy.
He affirmed that Mr. Riis, upon encroaching on the plot of land, extended the already existing fence wall built by Abdul Razak Muhammed and proceeded to build a house on it.
Mr. Awudu Issaka, however, denied that he works as a National Security Operative attached to the office of the current Vice President. He also said that the claim was false and manufactured to dent his image and the seat of government.