Santeo: 40 houses locked, residents ejected by alleged SWAT officers

Some 40 houses at Santeo in the Kpone Katamanso Municipality of the Greater Accra Region have been locked and residents ejected by a team of men purported to be from the SWAT division of the Ghana Police Service.

The incident took place early on Wednesday morning and has left many stranded, including military personnel who own properties in the area.

A man whose name has been given as Mr. Otsere, is laying claim to about 30 acres of land at Santeo in the Kpone Katamanto Municipality with a court order, which affected landowners believe is dubious because they have not been served.

The Assembly Member for Santeo, Samuel Abbrey, said the private individual claims the chief sold the land to him.

“We contacted the Chief, who also denied having sold the land of him,” he added.

“I received a call from one of my committee members this [Wednesday] morning. He told me he bumped into a team of men purported to be from the SWAT division of the Ghana Police Service. I rushed to the scene and saw these men ejecting residents from their homes. About 40 houses were affected.”

“When I enquired what was happening, I was told that they had a Court order to eject the residents. I asked if they had duly served the residents, and they said not yet, neither had they served the assembly. I told them they had no right to eject the residents without serving them. I then called in the National Police who in turn asked them to reopen the houses. They refused and bolted with the keys.”

The military is currently patrolling the community to ensure that residents do not return to their rooms.

—citinewsroom