Supreme Court delivers verdict in Bimbilla chieftaincy dispute

The Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed the decisions of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs and the National House of Chiefs that declared Naa Andani II as the legitimate chief of the area.

The five member panel of the apex court unanimously held that the Naa Andani’s lineage to the Bimbilla Skin was the legitimate occupant, which gives finality to the 14 year old dispute as to who was the rightful heir to Bimbilla Skin.

According to the court it was satisfied that the Judicial Committees of the Northern Regional House of chief and National House of Chief judgment in relation to the ascendency on the Bimbilla Skin were backed by documents and not evidence adduced in court.

“We therefore affirmed the two House of Chiefs judgments and dismissed the appeal in its entirety. The appeal has no merit,” the Supreme Court declared.

The panel was presided over by Mr Justice Julius Ansah however declined to award cost, Other members on the panel were Justice Anin Yeboah, Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie, Justice Yaw Appau and Justice Gabriel Pwamang.

The decision over the rightful Overlord of Bimbilla had been in dispute for many years prompting the claimants to appeal to the National House of Chiefs for adjudication. 

In March 2012, a three-member committee chaired by Yunyoo Rana Yamyia Tooka II, unanimously declared Naa Andani Dasana as the substantive Paramount Chief for the Bimbilla Traditional Area.

The verdict did not go down well with the late Naa Dawuni and his faction, leading to their appeal at the National House of Chiefs.

The National House of Chiefs dismissed the appeal so still unhappy with the National House of Chiefs decision, Naa Dawuni faction appealed to the Supreme Court over the lineage and legitimacy to the Bimbilla Skin. 

The decision of Supreme Court was preceded with heavy Police presence at the court premises and the courtroom.

There was spontaneous jubilation after the Supreme Court ruling.

Source: GNA