Kwahu Pepease Chieftaincy Tussle Moves To High Court …As One Party Files Application To Enforce Judicial Committee Of National House Of Chiefs Ruling

The raging chieftaincy dispute in Kwahu Pepease, an eastern regional suburb, has taken a legal turn, for one party has filed an application at the Koforidua High Court to enforce a ruling delivered by the Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs.

The application, filed by a group of royals and traditional stakeholders, followed what they described as persistent defiance of a binding judgment delivered on September 29, 2022, intended to settle the long-running contest over the rightful occupant of the Pepease stool.

Leading the Applicants are: Nana Oforiwaa Pokuaa II and Amankwaa Biritwum, both of Kwahu Pepease. They are joined by Nana Appiah Ofori II, Nana Asiedu Agyemang III, Nana Osei Ababio II, Nana Osei Mensah II, Kwaku Osei Bonsu, and Abusuapanin E. A. Adomako-all identified as key traditional figures and members of the royal lineage.

The respondents named in the suit include Nana Oforiwaa Pokuaa II, Amankwaa Biritwum, Nana Appiah Ofori II, Nana Asiedu Agyemang III, Nana Osei Ababio II, Nana Osei Mensah II, Kwaku Osei Bonsu, and E. Adomako, all of Pepease.

According to court documents, the Applicants have filed a sworn affidavit in support of their motion, attaching a letter from the Registry of the National House of Chiefs (marked Exhibit “A”) and a Certified True Copy of the judgment (marked Exhibit “B”).

The affidavit, sworn by law clerk Kwabena Ofori Acheampong of Okore Chambers, asserts that the ruling remains “valid, subsisting, and has not been set aside, varied, or stayed by any court of competent jurisdiction.”

Despite this, the Respondents are accused of failing and refusing to comply with its terms.

Crucially, the Applicants allege that some of the Respondents continue to hold themselves out as legitimate occupants of the Pepease stool, in direct contravention of the ruling.

Counsel for the Applicants, Isaac Minta Larbi, Esq., argues that the High Court has clear jurisdiction under Sections 37 (1) and (2) of the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759) to enforce decisions of the National House of Chiefs.

The application is therefore seeking an order compelling compliance with the 2022 judgment and any further directives the court may deem appropriate.

A formal communication from the National House of Chiefs Registry, signed by Acting Registrar Eng. Kyei, has also urged the High Court to initiate enforcement processes.

The Applicants maintain that all available traditional mechanisms to resolve the impasse and secure compliance have been exhausted without success, leaving the court as the final avenue for redress.

They warn that failure by the court to intervene could embolden continued unlawful acts and undermine both customary authority and the rule of law.

The Kwahu Pepease stool dispute stems from a protracted succession disagreement that has divided sections of the royal family and the wider community for years.

After passing through various traditional adjudicatory processes, the matter was ultimately determined by the Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi, whose 2022 ruling was expected to bring finality and restore unity.

However, tensions have reportedly persisted on the ground, with rival claims continuing despite the decision.

The case, which involves multiple respondents comprising traditional leaders and community members, is expected to be heard later in 2026 at the Koforidua High Court.

Legal observers say the outcome could set an important precedent for the enforcement of rulings by the National House of Chiefs and clarify the role of the courts in upholding customary law.

Beyond Kwahu Pepease, the ruling is anticipated to have wider implications for chieftaincy governance, legal authority, and peacebuilding efforts in traditional areas across Ghana.