By Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
A chief in Ayirebi alleged to be a self-styled chief, Nana Asare Duodu Gyimah III, known in private life as Kwadwo Gyimah, who is standing trial for allegedly using forged documents in an attempt to be enstooled and gazetted as the chief of Akyem Ayirebi in the Eastern Region, has been granted GH¢500,000 bail by the Koforidua High Court 3.
The court on Monday, June 1, 2026, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of GH¢500,000 with two sureties, each required to possess a valid Ghana Card.
Nana Asare Duodu Gyimah III pleaded not guilty to two charges: forgery and possession of forged documents.
According to the charge sheet, the accused is alleged to have possessed a forged statutory declaration purportedly made by the late Abusuapanin Kofi Kumi, Head of the Bretuo Royal Family, dated November 3, 2023.
Prosecutors contend that the document was forged because, the said Abusuapanin Kofi Kumi had died several months prior, and was in the morgue at the time the declaration was purportedly made. Procecutors contend the accused knew the document was not genuine.
The second charge alleges that, the accused used the same statutory declaration to support his enstoolment as chief of Ayirebi at Akyem Oda, despite knowing that the document was fraudulent.
The complainant, Prof. Nana Owusu-Frimpong, a native of Akyem Ayirebi and a principal member of the Bretuo Royal Family, told the court that the Ayirebi stool became vacant following the death of Obrempong Gyapire Agyekum II in 2017.
Court documents indicate that, after consultations, the Queen Mother of Ayirebi, Nana Adwoa Adomakoa II, nominated Kwadwo Asante as chief on September 29, 2019.
Following approval by the kingmakers and traditional authorities, Kwadwo Asante was installed as chief on May 5, 2021, and currently possesses the black stool and other traditional assets of the town.
However, the complainant alleges that Kwadwo Gyimah installed himself as chief between March and May 2022 and was later sworn in at Oda without following the established customary processes required for selecting a chief in Ayirebi.
According to the prosecution, while litigation over the stool was ongoing, Kwadwo Gyimah submitted documents to support his application for gazettement through the traditional council.
Among the documents was a statutory declaration purportedly thumbprinted by Abusuapanin Kofi Kumi on November 3, 2023.
The complainant argues that the declaration could not have been genuine because Abusuapanin Kofi Kumi died on July 13, 2023, several months before the alleged date of signing.
The prosecution further claims that the document falsely stated that the black stool was in the possession of Kwadwo Gyimah, whereas it remains with Kwadwo Asante, now known as Obrempong Gyapire Asante III.
The case has been adjourned to June 15, 2026, for case management proceedings.
