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Solomon Amponsah, the suspect at the centre of the controversial chopping of the Komfo Anokye cola tree is now making a fervent plea for legal representation, asserting that he has become ‘a victim of persecution’.
The suspect, implicated in the alleged unauthorized tree-cutting incident in the Bosomtwe District town of Feyiase in the Ashanti Region, has been detailing how he was arrested, charged and arraigned describing the turn of events as “planned”.
“While I was in my room at this defunct hotel in Feyiase these boys came amid loud noises, accusing me of committing the act. They immediately took me to the police station where I spent nine days. I was then transferred to the Kumasi Central Police station and then processed for court”, Amponsah narrated.
“These are town folks who had threatened to deal with me because they thought I, together with the owner of the hotel have been causing their arrest for peddling drugs but that isn’t true. And so, I know they framed these allegations just to get me put behind bars. I know nothing about it”, he stated.
In court on Thursday (28 December) prosecution told presiding judge Lawrencia AAD Gyamfi that it was still gathering its documents ahead of a case management conference, hence praying for an adjournment.
The court granted the request and adjourned sitting to 18 January 2024.
Maintaining his innocence, Amponsah, who is nursing wounds after being electrocuted months before his arrest, is pleading for legal representation as he is in financial distress.
“I nearly died after getting electrocuted four months ago and I am now nursing wounds”, Amponsah said adding: “Now things are difficult and looking at how things are running I just need a lawyer to fight this battle, but I am cash strapped, frequenting the court has not been easy”.
“I will be glad if a lawyer comes to my aid, to come out of this whole episode”, he said amid tears.
Background
Authorities launched a manhunt for those responsible for cutting down the famous 300-year-old kola tree, believed to have healing powers, in the Bosomtwe District town of Feyiase.
The tree, rooted in the Ashanti Kingdom’s history, grew at the spot where renowned priest Komfo Anokye supposedly spat a kola nut in the early 1700s.
Local beliefs attribute healing properties to the black and white seeds of the kola tree. The tree, situated in the middle of a major road connecting Kumasi to Lake Bosomtwe, was spared during highway construction and was a cherished tourist attraction.
Ghanaians expressed outrage as images of the felled tree circulated online. The reason for its recent cut remains unclear.
The Battle of Feyiase, a significant historical event in the Ashanti Kingdom’s struggle for independence against the Denkyira Kingdom, took place at the same site.
The tree’s presence served as a tangible link to the region’s history and cultural heritage.
The director of research at Manhyia Palace, Osei-Bonsu Safo Kantanka, had emphasized the historical importance of the tree’s location in the Ashanti Kingdom’s narrative.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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