The Chief of Akwamu in the Eastern Region, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, has publicly accused the Registrar of the Akwamu Traditional Council, Mr. Gilbert Adu Larbi, of betrayal and misconduct, alleging that his actions support individuals working against the interests of the Akwamu Traditional Area.
Speaking to the media at his palace in Akwamufie, Odeneho Akoto III did not mince words.
“With the attitude being put up by the registrar, Gilbert Adu Larbi, we cannot work with him in the area. He must leave. If he does not, and something happens to him, he should not blame anyone,” the chief warned.
Mr. Larbi, who served the Traditional Council in various capacities including Registrar, Administrator, and Advocate for over 16 years, has responded to the accusations in an exclusive interview with FirstNews, saying that he is being targeted for simply doing his job.
“The role placed me at the center of highly contentious land transactions and traditional authority disputes,” he explained. “I oversaw court proceedings and land documentation involving chiefs, tenants, and political actors. This led to repeated accusations and threats to my life.”
According to Mr. Larbi, many disputes within the Traditional Area became politically charged, particularly during the adjudication of cases by the Judicial Committee.
“I was merely recording proceedings and facilitating the process, yet the backlash often landed on me,” he said.
Mr. Larbi highlighted a series of incidents that placed him in danger, notably in December 2009, following the death of Otumfuo Ansah Sasraku VI, then Akwamuhene. Political tensions between the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) led to chaos.
“As Registrar, I was handed the palace keys by order of the Eastern Regional Security Council,” he said. “That action sparked a violent backlash. Armed civilians and soldiers stormed the palace. I was captured and locked in a room for four days.”
The installation of Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III in February 2011 was another flashpoints.
“A police officer lost his life during clashes related to the enstoolment. The traditional area was deeply divided, and both I and the Acting President of the Council, Nana Yaw Boadu IV, were repeatedly threatened,” he recalled.
Nana Boadu was later murdered in June 2022.
Fearing for his life, Mr. Larbi was transferred to the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs in what he describes as a “protective move.”
However, he remains without a portfolio or salary and lives in constant fear.
“There’s no security, no job, and my family is in danger. I’ve had to go into hiding,” he said.
He recounted another disturbing episode in a chieftaincy dispute in Senchi involving Queen Mother Nana Effa Poarkwaa II and others against a politically connected individual, Owusu Addo. The defendant, Mr. Larbi said, refused to attend proceedings and later accused him of bias and land theft.
“He accused me of selling his stool lands and threatened my life. Armed men were sent after me,” Mr. Larbi revealed.
As a result, he was forced to flee his home in Akosombo with his family and now lives at an undisclosed location.
With no resolution in sight and persistent threats from political actors, chiefs, and land beneficiaries, Mr. Larbi says his life is at serious risk.
