High Court Orders Police Assistance to Seize Cheddar's Oxford Street Hotel in Accra

Ghana's Commercial Division has handed a decisive victory to UK-based Cola Holdings Limited in its ongoing dispute with businessman Nana Kwame Bediako over the valuable No. 1 Oxford Street Hotel in Osu, Accra. Justice Samuel Faraday Johnson's ruling on 21 July granted a warrant of police assistance enabling Cola Holdings and its appointed Receiver, Nii Amanor Dodoo, to forcibly take possession of the property after previous attempts to claim it peacefully were resisted.

The court's decision comes after Cola Holdings demonstrated that it had registered its security interest over the hotel at the Collateral Registry and obtained the necessary Memorandum of No Objection to realise its security. Under Ghana's Borrowers and Lenders Act, 2020 (Act 1052), the company was therefore entitled to seek police assistance once peaceful possession became impossible. Justice Johnson upheld this legal framework, finding that Kensington Residential Partners 1 Limited—the entity through which Bediako holds the property—had failed to present sufficient evidence to block the application.

The Legal Battle and Bediako's Defence

Bediako, better known as Cheddar, actively opposed the court application through his company's directors. His legal team, led by Bobby Banson and Isaac Akerefie-Mensah, argued grounds that the court ultimately dismissed. However, Bediako has not accepted defeat quietly. In January 2026, he publicly disputed liability under the underlying English High Court judgment that forms the basis of Cola Holdings' claim, announcing he had instructed lawyers to challenge its enforcement through Ghanaian courts.

The businessman claims the disputed transaction relates to a facility originally obtained by Kensington Residential Partners 1 Limited from the International Finance Corporation, and he has indicated his intention to pursue all available legal remedies, including an appeal against an earlier High Court decision on the registration of the foreign judgment.

Why This Matters for Ghana

This case represents a significant development in how Ghanaian courts enforce foreign judgments and security interests in commercial property disputes. The ruling affirms that Ghana's legal framework, particularly the Borrowers and Lenders Act, provides UK creditors and international lenders with meaningful protections when Ghanaian debtors resist enforcement. The decision signals that courts will grant police assistance when necessary, lending weight to the collateral registration system that underpins Ghana's broader financial infrastructure.

For property owners and investors, the case demonstrates the serious consequences of securing loans against prime real estate like Oxford Street properties. It also underscores that Ghanaian courts can enforce foreign judgments—a matter that affects confidence in cross-border lending and investment flows into the country. Bediako's continued legal challenges suggest this dispute is far from over, with appeals and further challenges likely to test the limits of Ghana's enforcement mechanisms.

The representation by prominent Ghanaian advocates—including senior lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata for Cola Holdings—reflects the high-profile nature of the dispute and the substantial interests at stake. The warrant grants Cola Holdings and the Receiver the power to use police force if necessary to regain control of the property, effectively marking a turning point in the enforcement action.