Traditional authorities at the Amanase palace have clarified why some skeletons were exhumed from the palace.
Following reports that some human remains were retrieved at the Amanase Chief’s palace in the Eastern Region, Gyaasehene of the area has emerged to provide some explanations to the issue.
The bodies which were said to be those of certain royals were reportedly stored at the palace for two years by the Gyaasehene, Obenfo Addo Agyekum I who is now the regent of Amanase.
They had been exhumed after the sale of the land which served as an old cemetery to an investor for redevelopment.
The Gyaasehene who had been made to write a statement on the matter after the Suhum police, led by Crime Officer, ASP Yeboah Oscar stormed the palace to retrieve the skeletons has since emerged with what he says is a clarification on why exactly the remains were found at the palace.
According to him, the skeletons which were part of the exhumed remains of royals at the old cemetery had been kept at the palace following the advice of officials from the EPA and morgue officials at the Suhum Government Hospital.
“The officials at the mortuary, and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials also told us that once they are skeletons, they can sprinkle medicine to preserve it for us so that if there’s such a place in the palace where we can keep the remnants of dead royals, we can take them there so we did that.
“While we waited, we informed elders and the family of another Chief who is called Nana Korow, whose remains we had at the palace, that the skeletons are at the palace.
“His children came to demand that we bury their father, I told them to be patient because the place we were supposed to bury him was not ready and I didn’t want a situation where we will send it there and other issues will arise. So we put it on hold waiting for such a time when we can appropriately dispose of the skeletons,” he said.
The Gyaasehene further noted that the reports which emerged had been circulated by dubious persons who wanted to bring disgrace to the Amanase seat.
He also noted that contrary to reports that the lands were sold on the blind side of Amanase Chief, Osabarima Asamoah Asare Ampofo I who is currently unable to met out his royal duties owing to advanced age, documents presented to him showed that the Chief had consented to same.
He further noted that due process was taken in the preservation and burial of the bodies as was advised.
“Unfortunately, journalists heard of the incident, but I don’t know how they broadcasted it and I don’t know which people gave them the information, but they misconstrued and misreported the entire situation.
“I am saying on authority that the old cemetery has been destroyed and we have exhumed the bodies that were there. We have done the mass burials for those whose bodies were still fresh, put those whose had to be preserved till later, and kept those whose skeletons could be here,” he noted.
“I think people who want the disgrace of the Amanase are behind the false narrations. Others may ask if the Okyehene is aware of the sale of these lands. I say emphatically that in 2012, my forefathers, when I became Gyaasehene, when the documents were laid before me, Osabarima Asamoah Asare Ampofo I in whose stead I’m reigning because of his ill health, he had signed as a witness,” he further said.