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Nana Amampene Twum Boateng, chief of Nyinahini in the Atwima-Mponua District of Ashanti, fled for his life on Sunday, when five fiercely looking machete-wielding young men attacked him at his palace during the Akwasidae celebration. 

The youngmen, who were said to be members of the Concerned Youth of Nyinahini (OYN), stormed the palace about 45 minutes into the traditional event and attempted to pounce on the chief amidst resistance from the police and some of the people present.

They shoved the chief who nearly fell down, but was saved by one of his subjects. The police immediately took him into his vehicle and drove him away amidst the firing of warning shots.

It was not clear what triggered that action, but speculations in the town had it that they were showing their displeasure at the release by a court, of Nana Twum Boateng and three other accomplices in connection with the alleged murder of Paul Abrafah, 60, the Head Pastor of the Church of the Lord, popularly called Aladura, on September 1, last year.

It would be recalled that on Tuesday, October 15, this year, The Ghanaian Times reported of the release of the chief and three others by an Nkawie Circuit Court on October 9.

The presiding judge, Mr Michael Johnson Addo, acquitted and discharged the chief, a member of the Board of Directors of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), and the other three, Bismark Atta Snr, also known as Jordan, and his brother, Oheneba Kwaku Duah and Obiri Yeboah Asante, also known as Kwadwo Ketewa, a carpenter.

Prior to their release, the court was told by the prosecution that “There was overwhelming evidence that the pastor was murdered, but there was absolutely no evidence to connect any of them.”

He therefore, advised that the suspects be absolved of the charges and the case against them dropped.

Their plea to the charge of conspiracy to murder and committing murder was not taken.

Nana Twum Boateng’s nephew, Bismark Attah Owusu, who incidentally was part of the group arrested over the pastor’s murder, told The Ghanaian Times here that the youth could have killed the chief.

“I was going to bring the queen to the event when I saw the five men approaching the entrance. There were a few policemen inside the palace, but none responded when I raised the alarm. So I had to struggle with them, since I could not allow them entry because the chief was seated and he was their target.”

“The Chief, the Police Commander, his personnel and a few people came to the scene. But the men dashed for the chief, pushed him around and he nearly fell down, but the intervention of one of his sub-chiefs saved the situation. The Police Commander pulled out a gun, fired about three times into the air before we were able to get him into his car and taken away”.

According to Owusu, the youth group was formed during the time Nana Twum Boateng and the others were standing trial, and claimed that they were being sponsored by individuals and persons who opposed the chief’s reign.