The Tamale Court of Appeal has asked the feuding factions of the Bolgatanga chieftaincy dispute to go back to the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs Judiciary Committee to resolve their differences.
The Court in its ruling on Thursday, October 24, 2019, charged the Upper East Regional House of Chief Judiciary Committee to give both sides a fair hearing.
In May 2015, two persons were enskinned at two separate ceremonies as Bolga Naba. 36-year old Joseph Apakre, who was then Manager of GHACEM in charge of Northern and Upper East Regions, was enskinned as the Paramount Chief of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area by the Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, Naa Bohugu Mahami Sheriga, in Nalerigu and was later brought back to Bolgatanga.
Raymond Abilba, a lawyer, was also installed as the Paramount Chief of Bolgatanga, to succeed his father, Naba Martin Abillba who passed away on September 26, 2013.
After their enskinment as Bolga Nabas’, the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs established a Judiciary Committee to resolve the matter.
The Judicial Committee of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs in October 2016, declared Raymond Abilba, a lawyer as the Paramount Chief of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area after several months of disputes.
The judicial committee which was chaired by the paramount chief of the Chiana Traditional area Pe Detungdini Ayagitam Adiali who was at that time, the Vice President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs in a statement, said the Nayiri has no right to determine who should be the paramount Chief of Bolgatanga. Joseph Apakre who was not pleased with the House of Chiefs Judiciary Committee ruling, filed an application at the Bolgatanga High Court where the Court quashed the decision of the ruling of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs Judiciary Committee.
The Bolgatanga High Court in its ruling said Joseph Apakre was not given a fair hearing and so the House of Chiefs Judiciary Committee, should grant him a fair hearing of the matter.
Raymond Alafia Abilba who was not also happy with the Bolgatanga High Court ruling, also filed an application at the Court of Appeal in Tamale asking the Court to quash the ruling of the Bolgatanga High Court and maintain the ruling of the Judiciary Committee of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs.
The Court in its ruling maintained, that Joseph Apakre was not given a fair hearing at the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs Judiciary Committee.
