All the five sub-chiefs that were destooled by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II were tried by a jury which was formed by the Asantehene, a monarchical historian at the Manhyia Palace, Osei-Bonsu Sarfo-Kantanka, has stated.
He explained that Asantehene gave his verdict upon the decision of the jury.
He said on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 Tuesday, August 22 that chieftaincy institution has rules and regulations that all players in the sector should abide by.
In the Asante Kingdom, he said, the Asantehen is the highest order when it comes to the hierarchy and has the power to destool any sub-chief who has engaged in wrongdoing.
So far, the Asantehen has destooled five chiefs in 2023 for different various reasons including abandonment of stool, illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) as well as land issues.
Safo Kantanak explained that “Chieftaincy institution has got its own way of life, the institution has got its rules and regulations in line with culture and tradition, just like any other institution has rules and regulations and so if you go against the rules and regulations in one with culture then, of course, you have to be penalized for doing the wrong thing.
“It is a hierarchy and the highest order within the Ashanti community is the Asantehene at the topmost level of the chiefs within the Asante man community.”
He added “All five there were destooled within the state of about five months were all tried, which means all the Kumasi Abrempon, second-in-command to Omanhene sat on their case just like a case is being tried in court by a jury, it was a jury-kind of trial but when they all come to a consensus and what the chief did was bad then the Asantehene will give the trial verdict.”