Accra Court Grants Bail in Complex Land Fraud Case Involving Multiple Conflicting Grants

An Accra Circuit Court has released two accused persons on bail following charges that they illegally granted the same parcel of land to multiple buyers, a practice that has sparked ownership disputes and threatens millions of cedis in investments.

Nene Ebenezer Mormo Kissiedu Nyamaa II, a farmer, and George Kenneth Tetteh, a retired educationist, were each granted bail of GH¢2 million with three sureties, one of whom must be justified. The court ordered both men to report weekly to the Police investigator handling the case, with the matter adjourned to November 16, 2026.

How the Land Dispute Unfolded

According to police investigations presented in court, the accused persons sold approximately 1,009 acres of land near Asutsuare Junction on the Akosombo main road to Francis Godsway Ntem, a Tema-based trader, between 2021 and 2022. Ntem received an indenture as proof of ownership and began planning development activities on the property.

Problems emerged when another claimant, Ibrahim Yakubu (also known as Sariki Awala), confronted Ntem and asserted his own ownership rights to portions of the land. Yakubu had previously acquired 628.12 acres in 2010 from the late Chief of Luom and had substantially developed the property, establishing a livestock farm and even granting portions to third parties.

Police investigations uncovered a troubling pattern: the Gbesedorm Clan had granted 3,211 acres—including Yakubu's parcel—to the Aworteye Narh Family in October 2019. Despite this transaction, the accused, who held positions as Stool Priest and Secretary of the Gbesedorm Clan, relied on a Supreme Court judgment dated July 7, 2021, to re-grant the same land to Yakubu through a new indenture dated January 3, 2022. The prosecution alleges that Nyamaa II and Tetteh knowingly accepted money from Ntem whilst being aware of these earlier transactions.

Why This Matters for Ghana

This case highlights a critical vulnerability in Ghana's land tenure system that affects thousands of citizens and foreign investors. Competing claims to the same property—often rooted in overlapping customary, family, and stool land rights—create legal chaos that undermines property development and investor confidence. When individuals in positions of traditional authority exploit these grey areas to sell identical land parcels to multiple parties, the consequences are devastating: victims lose savings, development projects stall, and disputes fester for years in already overburdened courts.

The involvement of Supreme Court judgments and multiple clan representatives suggests systemic confusion about land ownership records and the enforcement of traditional authority decisions. For ordinary Ghanaians seeking to buy land, this case underscores the critical importance of comprehensive due diligence, title verification through the Lands Commission, and legal representation before committing funds to any land transaction—whether in Accra, the regions, or peri-urban areas like Asutsuare.

Next Steps

Both accused persons have denied the charges of conspiring to grant land to multiple buyers. They were initially granted Police enquiry bail before being brought before the Circuit Court. The weekly reporting requirement allows investigators to continue gathering evidence whilst the men remain free pending trial. The adjourned hearing in November 2026 will determine whether charges proceed to full trial or are resolved through other judicial avenues.