The Sefwi-Wiawso High Court in the Western North Region has issued an interlocutory injunction restraining Francis Kwaku Nkrumah from engaging in any form of land-related activity on a disputed parcel in Bibiani. The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, June 19, 2025, follows a motion filed by Nana Ngoa Anyimah Kodom II, Chief of Bibiani and occupant of the Aduana Royal Stool, acting as Plaintiff/Applicant in the matter.
Presided over by His Lordship Oliver Atsu Abada, the Court granted the application for an interim injunction after reviewing an affidavit filed by the Plaintiff and hearing legal submissions made by Chapman K. Zigah Esq., Counsel for the Applicant. The injunction specifically bars the Defendant, Nkrumah, from undertaking sand winning, logging, or any form of land extraction, aside from farming, until the substantive case is fully heard and determined.
According to court records (Suit No. WNSWHCE1/242025), the land in contention is located in Bibiani, where the Plaintiff alleges unlawful encroachment and environmental exploitation by the Defendant. The motion, supported by sworn statements and evidence of ongoing activities, emphasized the need for urgent court intervention to prevent further damage to the stool lands.
The Court, after assessing the facts and legal merit of the motion, found sufficient grounds to issue the injunction. The ruling explicitly warns against any form of land use that goes beyond traditional farming, highlighting the ongoing legal battle between the Bibiani traditional authority and the Defendant over ownership and usage rights.
The injunction aims to preserve the status quo and prevent further conflict while giving the Court the opportunity to fully investigate the claims laid before it. The Plaintiff argues that the activities being carried out by the Defendant not only breach customary land ownership but also threaten the ecological balance and sacred obligations tied to the land.
By this ruling, the Defendant, *Francis Kwaku Nkrumah, along with his agents, assigns, workers, and labourers, is restrained from undertaking all manner of activities on the said land*. The order is to be strictly complied with, and failure to do so may amount to contempt of court, attracting legal consequences. The Registrar of the Court, Isaac Yeboah-Duako, affirmed the validity of the order, which now stands until the final determination of the substantive case.
The ruling represents a significant step in clarifying land ownership and usage rights in Bibiani. As the case progresses, it is expected that the Court’s proceedings will help bring resolution to the dispute and provide guidance on the lawful management of traditional lands in the area.
Read the court injunction below!
