Land guard gets 4 years for selling land belonging to MP

An Accra Circuit Court yesterday sentenced a land guard to four years imprisonment with hard labour for selling four plots of land, belonging to the Member of Parliament (MP) for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Constituency, in the Central Region.

Nii Amu Dodoo denied the offence but, the court presided over by Madam Evelyn Asamoah found him guilty.

The court heard that Dodoo produced a fake excuse duty that was confirmed by the Medical Superintendent of the Ga West Municipal Assembly.

Mr George Asamani, counsel for accused, pleaded with the court to consider a non-custodial sentence because his client needed to bury his uncle.

Police Chief Inspector Benson Benneh told the court that the complainant, is a businessman, residing at Kwashieman, while the convict, Dodoo, resided at Sowutuom VRA, all in Accra.

The court heard that Mr Samuel Atta-Mills, the MP, convict and other members of the Ayikai Doboro Community in the Ga West Municipality negotiated for the lease of four plots of land at Peace Village near Ayikai Doboro.

Chief Insp Benneh said “the instrument covering the grant was duly executed and handed over to the beneficiary, who in turn moved into occupation and built a wall around the property to secure it.”

He said Dodoo entered the walled land and all attempts to prevent the convict and his clients from developing the land failed.

 Chief Insp Benneh  said on October 6, 2019, the complainant acting on the instructions of the MP, reported the case to the Amasaman Divisional Police, leading to the arrest of Jacob Amoah, who was working on a storey building on the land.

The court heard that Amoah said he was a mason contracted to work on the building by Grace Ankamah, a trader based in Sefwi Asawinso, in the Western North Region.

Chief Insp Benneh said Ankamah went to the police station and identified the convict as the one who sold the land to her at GH¢20,000, in 2016.

Chief Inspector Benneh said Dodoo upon interrogation admitted releasing the entire area to prospective developers, saying that he has not received any money from the complainant, who he claimed facilitated the sale of the land to the MP.

Dodoo explanation was not convincing and he was charged for leasing the land of the legislator without his express authority. – GNA