Benimasi-Boadi Community v. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
KNUST is encroaching upon and selling portions of the 1,298.33-acre Benimasi-Boadi ancestral parcel — specifically the sacred burial grounds and cultural heritage site of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa, spouse of Asantehene Osei Tutu I — under a lease that expired in 2010 and is void. Land Rights Defenders is supporting and funding the community's legal fight. The High Court trial commences 24 October 2026.
Legal Foundation: In a prior ruling, Justice Abdul Razak Musa of the KMA Circuit Court judicially affirmed the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family's allodial title to the Boadi lands — the highest form of land ownership under Ghanaian law. This judgment (Suit No. A1/73/2023) is the cornerstone of the community's case in the current High Court proceedings.
Trial Date
24 October 2026 — Ghana High Court
KNUST is unlawfully desecrating the sacred burial grounds of Benimasi-Boadi. Trial: 24 Oct 2026.
KNUST is actively encroaching upon and selling portions of the 1,298.33-acre Benimasi-Boadi ancestral parcel — specifically the sacred burial grounds and cultural heritage site of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa, spouse of Asantehene Osei Tutu I — to private third parties, purporting to act under a lease that expired on March 31, 2010 and is void ab initio. This constitutes not merely a legal trespass but an act of cultural and spiritual desecration. Land Rights Defenders is supporting and funding the Benimasi-Boadi Indigenous community's legal fight. The High Court refused an injunction on July 24, 2025 — encroachment and sales to third parties have continued since.
The Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family's allodial title to the 1,298.33 acres of Benimasi-Boadi land is not in dispute — it is legally confirmed. The Lands Commission issued Search Report Certificate No. KSI. 239/2021 affirming the Family's unencumbered rights. The KMA Circuit Court affirmed the title in Suit No. A1/73/2023. A Statutory Declaration was published in the Ghanaian Times (November 11, 2021) without challenge from KNUST. Two Ghanaian state publications — Ghana News Agency (Aug 7, 2025) and The Spectator / New Times Corporation (Aug 16, 2025) — independently reported the Circuit Court judgement affirming this title. This case does not seek to prove ownership. It seeks to compel KNUST and the Government of Ghana to respect a title that courts, the Lands Commission, and the state press have already recognised.
The Unlawful Occupation and Desecration of Benimasi-Boadi
KNUST is actively encroaching upon and selling portions of the 1,298.33-acre Benimasi-Boadi ancestral parcel — specifically the sacred burial grounds and cultural heritage site of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa, spouse of Asantehene Osei Tutu I — to private third parties, purporting to act under a lease that expired on March 31, 2010 and is void ab initio. The original 60-year Mother Lease granted by the Government of Ghana expired by operation of law on March 31, 2010. A purported Renewal Lease obtained by KNUST thereafter is void ab initio: the Government had no subsisting interest to renew, and the lease's own description of the demised area conspicuously omits Boadi and Benimasi, proving the Family's land was never legally part of the demised premises. Land Rights Defenders is supporting and funding the Benimasi-Boadi Indigenous community's legal fight to reclaim and protect their ancestral heritage.
The gravity of KNUST's trespass extends far beyond a property dispute. The central, undivided core of the Boadi lands was consecrated by the Family as an ecological nature reserve and cultural heritage site. This area houses the sacred burial grounds of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa — the lawfully wedded spouse of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu I and the matriarch from whom the entire Royal Family's allodial title descends. KNUST's construction activities on and around this site constitute not merely a legal trespass but an act of spiritual and cultural desecration, causing irreparable harm to the integrity of the heritage site and threatening the sustainability of the community's ancestral heritage.
The case is further complicated by a matter of public record: the Chancellor of KNUST has made public statements rejecting the existence of family land in Ashanti — a position in direct contradiction of the Constitution of Ghana, the Land Act 2020, and established customary law principles. The Government of Ghana has not held the Chancellor accountable for these statements, and this absence of political will has emboldened institutional actors to continue encroaching upon Indigenous ancestral land with impunity. Land Rights Defenders calls on the Government of Ghana to enforce the Land Act 2020 without exception and on international bodies to hold Ghana accountable to its obligations under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
On July 24, 2025, the High Court refused an interlocutory injunction to halt KNUST's construction — citing the balance of convenience in favour of a public university — but ordered KNUST to execute an Undertaking of GH¢1,000,000 (one million Ghana Cedis) payable to the Plaintiff should the action succeed, and directed expedited trial. KNUST's construction on the sacred burial grounds has continued unabated since that ruling.
The Family's allodial title has been judicially affirmed by the KMA Circuit Court (Suit No. A1/73/2023), confirmed by the Lands Commission's own Search Report (Certificate No. KSI. 239/2021), and publicly asserted in a Statutory Declaration published in the Ghanaian Times (November 11, 2021) without any challenge from KNUST. The October 2026 trial represents the community's opportunity to secure a definitive High Court ruling — and to hold a public institution accountable for the desecration of their ancestors' resting place.
Case Facts
Suit Number
ASH/ADK/HC/E1/177/25 — High Court of Justice (Land Division), Kumasi-AD 2025
Land at Stake
1,298.33 acres, Benimasi-Boadi locality, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana (Plan SGA/A296/2019)
Plaintiff
Abusuapanyin Odeneho Odehyee Nanaba Kwabena Badu, for and on behalf of the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family of Boadi, per Lawful Attorney Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu
1st Defendant
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Kumasi
2nd Defendant
Lands Commission, Regional Office, Kumasi
Trial Date
24 October 2026
KNUST Undertaking
GH¢1,000,000 ordered by High Court on July 24, 2025 — payable to Plaintiff if action succeeds
Sacred Site
Burial grounds of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa — currently being desecrated by KNUST construction
Where the Benimasi-Boadi Ancestral Lands Sit
The 1,298.33-acre Benimasi-Boadi parcel sits adjacent to the KNUST campus in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana. The map below shows the approximate Boadi Boundary area (outlined in red) and key landmarks.
Map Legend
Boundary plotted from Mapeo ICCA GeoJSON export (36 GPS points, 5.25 km²). Source: Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family. Click the boundary for case details.
Sacred Burial Grounds Under Construction
At the heart of the Benimasi-Boadi lands lies a consecrated area that the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family has maintained for generations as an ecological nature reserve and cultural heritage site. This is not merely open land — it is the resting place of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa, the lawfully wedded spouse of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu I, founder of the Ashanti Empire, and the matriarch from whom the entire Family's allodial title descends.
The maintenance of this heritage zone is formally recognized in public records and planning instruments — including the Town and Country Planning Department's statutory planning schemes dating to 1974 and 1981 — as an expression of the Family's indefeasible allodial sovereignty. Its untouched, conserved status is physically corroborated by an Aerial Plan (Exhibit J) submitted to the High Court.
KNUST has embarked — and continues unabated — in an aggressive and unlawful campaign of physical trespass and encroachment upon this reserved area under the pretext of "educational expansion." The Witness Statement filed before the High Court describes this conduct as "not merely administrative but actively destructive, causing irreparable harm to the integrity of the conserved ecological and cultural heritage sites" and executed "with reckless disregard for the sacred and protected status of the affected portions."
Despite the Family's application for an injunction, the High Court refused on July 24, 2025. Construction continues today.
What is being desecrated
The sacred burial grounds of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa — matriarch of the Royal Family and spouse of Asantehene Osei Tutu I
How it is being desecrated
KNUST is constructing buildings and infrastructure directly on and around the heritage site under the pretext of 'educational expansion'
Legal status of the construction
Wholly unlawful — KNUST's lease expired March 31, 2010; the Renewal Lease is void ab initio; the Boadi lands were never part of any valid lease
Court's response
Injunction refused July 24, 2025 (balance of convenience). KNUST ordered to post GH¢1,000,000 undertaking. Expedited trial ordered.
Current status
Construction ongoing. Sacred grounds continue to be desecrated. Trial set for October 24, 2026.
Photographic Evidence
Exhibit B Series — GPS Survey Map, Boadi Boundary
Exhibit B Series (LVD/FC/ASR/606/2023) — Official GPS survey map prepared by Geo Ander Consult showing the full 1,298.33-acre Boadi Boundary in red, titled 'Property of Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family.' This is the primary cartographic evidence of the Family's allodial title submitted to the High Court.
Warning Sign — Boadi-Benimase Sacred Lands
A 'Keep Off Property' warning sign planted by the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family on the Boadi-Benimase sacred lands — visible in the background, KNUST's earthmoving equipment has already broken ground on the burial grounds.
KNUST Construction on Ancestral Heritage Site
KNUST's completed and ongoing construction on the Benimasi-Boadi ancestral heritage site. A corrugated metal fence encloses a newly erected building on land that was never part of any valid lease and includes the sacred burial grounds of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa.
All photographs are original documentation by Land Rights Defenders Inc. and may be reproduced with attribution for journalistic and advocacy purposes.
Then vs. Now: The Desecration of the Sacred Burial Grounds
Satellite imagery shows the dramatic transformation of the Benimasi-Boadi ancestral land. The red GPS boundary is plotted from the official GPS survey (Exhibit B Series, LVD/FC/ASR/606/2023). The "Then" image (~2010) shows the land as a dense forest and consecrated heritage site; the "Now" image (2025/2026, Google Maps) shows the same land cleared and built over.
The Benimasi-Boadi ancestral land — enclosed within the GPS-verified boundary — was predominantly dense forest, sacred grove, and consecrated heritage land. The rich green canopy visible inside the boundary reflects the land's status as an ecological nature reserve and the sacred burial grounds of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa, spouse of Asantehene Osei Tutu I. At this time, the Family's allodial title remained intact and undisturbed.
The same land, now enclosed by the red GPS boundary, has been cleared, built over, and desecrated. The dark brown and bare-earth areas visible inside the boundary mark active construction sites and new structures erected by KNUST — including directly upon the sacred burial grounds of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa, spouse of Asantehene Osei Tutu I.
High-resolution annotated satellite image (Google Maps 2025/2026). Free to use with attribution for journalism and advocacy.
Imagery © Google Maps Satellite (2025/2026). Boundary © Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family (Mapeo ICCA export, GPS survey LVD/FC/ASR/606/2023).
Legal Grounds for the Case
The case rests on multiple overlapping bodies of law — domestic constitutional law, statutory land law, customary tenure, and international human rights instruments.
Ghana Constitution 1992 — Article 20
Prohibits compulsory acquisition of property except under law that provides for prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation. The State never compulsorily acquired the Boadi lands under Article 20. The purported Renewal Lease is therefore unconstitutional — the State cannot grant what it does not lawfully possess.
Land Act 2020 (Act 1036) — Allodial Title
Under Section 2 of Act 1036, the Family's rights are legally recognized and registrable as allodial title. The Abusuapanin (Family Head) is the only person legally vested with authority to act on behalf of the Family regarding the Boadi lands. Any prior purported alienation by an individual without requisite authority is voidable.
Nemo Dat Quod Non Habet — Expired Lease
The original 60-year Mother Lease expired on March 31, 2010 by operation of law. The Government of Ghana had no subsisting interest to renew. The purported Renewal Lease is therefore void ab initio — one cannot give what one does not have. KNUST's continued occupation after March 31, 2010 is trespass.
Customary Land Tenure Law — Family Land
The Boadi lands are indefeasibly Family Land — not Stool Land — because the inter vivos gift was made to Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa in her personal capacity. The 'Oheneyere' honorific does not convert the subject land into Stool Property. The Family's lineal descendants hold absolute allodial title, continuously exercised for generations.
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
Articles 10, 25, 26, and 28 affirm Indigenous peoples' rights to their traditional lands and sacred sites, the requirement of Free, Prior and Informed Consent for any use or development, and the right to restitution or compensation where lands — including burial grounds and heritage sites — have been taken or desecrated without consent.
African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights
Article 14 protects the right to property, and Article 21 affirms the right of peoples to freely dispose of their wealth and natural resources. Ghana is a signatory and bound by these obligations. The desecration of a sacred burial ground constitutes a violation of both property rights and cultural rights under the Charter.
Political Context — Institutional Impunity and the Absence of Accountability
It is a matter of public record that the Chancellor of KNUST has made public statements rejecting the existence of family land in Ashanti — a position in direct contradiction of the Constitution of Ghana, the Land Act 2020, and established customary law principles. The Government of Ghana has not held the Chancellor accountable for these statements. This absence of political will has emboldened institutional actors to continue encroaching upon Indigenous ancestral land with impunity. Land Rights Defenders calls on the Government of Ghana to enforce the Land Act 2020 without exception, regardless of institutional standing, and on all relevant international bodies to hold Ghana accountable to its obligations under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Demand Government Accountability
The Government of Ghana must enforce the Land Act 2020 without exception. Sign the petition and add your voice to the call for accountability — for the Benimasi-Boadi community and for every Indigenous land rights defender in Ghana.
Timeline of Events
From the ancestral grant by Asantehene Osei Tutu I to the confirmed October 2026 trial date — a documented record of dispossession, resistance, and the long road to justice.
Ancestral Grant by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu I
The 1,298.33 acres of Benimasi-Boadi land were granted by His Majesty Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu I — founder of the Ashanti Empire — to his lawfully wedded spouse, Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa, as a valid inter vivos gift. The land was acquired in her personal capacity, making it indefeasibly Family Land — not Stool Land. The central, undivided core of the property was consecrated as an ecological nature reserve and cultural heritage site, housing the sacred burial grounds of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa herself.
Government Lease to KNUST — Strictly Time-Limited
A Mother Lease Agreement (Indenture dated May 24, 1968) was formalized between the Government of Ghana and KNUST, demising a substantial area of land for educational purposes commencing April 1, 1950. The lease was for a fixed term of sixty (60) years, explicitly expiring on March 31, 2010. Critically, the lease's own description of the demised area named Bomso, Agyigya, Kentinkrono, Anwomaso, Ayeduase, Kyirapatre, Ahinsan, Bebre, and Femusua — conspicuously omitting Boadi and Benimasi — proving the Boadi lands were never legally part of the demised premises.
Systematic Encroachment Beyond Lease Boundaries
KNUST progressively expanded infrastructure — roads, academic buildings, residential facilities, and commercial developments — onto Benimasi-Boadi ancestral land that was never part of any lease. The expansion proceeded without formal expropriation, without compensation, and without the free, prior, and informed consent of the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family. The Family, however, maintained continuous, open, and uninterrupted physical possession throughout, executing hundreds of leases to third parties on the land unchallenged.
KNUST's Lease Expires — Legal Interest Extinguished
The original 60-year Mother Lease between the Government of Ghana and KNUST expired by operation of law on March 31, 2010. Any leasehold interest KNUST may have possessed was automatically extinguished. The land reverted ipso facto to the Family as the undisputed allodial owner. Despite this, KNUST purported to obtain a 'Renewal Lease' from the Government — a legal nullity, as the Government had no subsisting interest to renew (nemo dat quod non habet). The purported renewal is unconstitutional, null, void, and of no legal effect ab initio.
The Advocacy Movement Begins
What began as a personal mission to defend the Benimasi-Boadi ancestral lands grows into a structured advocacy movement. Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu — a lineal descendant of the Royal Family and court-recognised lawful attorney — leads systematic documentation: GPS-verified land surveys, archival research into the 1968 Mother Lease, oral testimony from community elders, and photographic evidence of KNUST’s unauthorised encroachment on the sacred heritage site. This grassroots movement would eventually give birth to the formal founding of Land Rights Defenders Inc.
Official Land Survey Confirms Family's Title
The Ashanti Regional Director of Survey approved the Plan of Land bearing Regional Number SGA/A296/2019, formally confirming the Family's 1,298.33-acre allodial holding at Benimasi-Boadi locality. The plan was duly stamped by the Land Valuation Division as LVD/ASR/3013/2021. On January 29, 2021, the Lands Commission issued Search Report Certificate No. KSI. 239/2021, confirming the Family's legitimate rights are unencumbered by KNUST's purported lease.
Statutory Declaration Published — Rights Asserted Publicly
A Statutory Declaration in Support of Allodial Title was published in the National Dailies (Ghanaian Times, November 11, 2021), formally asserting the Family's unencumbered title to the Boadi lands without any subsequent challenge from KNUST. This public assertion, unrebutted by the 1st Defendant, further solidifies the Family's legal standing.
Subverting Justice — Corruption and Institutional Interference
A key development occurred when the 2020 High Court Judgment passed by Justice Senyo Amedahe (Suit No. C1/65/2020) was controversially set aside. The application to vacate the judgment was brought by a stranger to the suit — an individual who was neither a party to the original litigation nor a member of the specific lineage involved. The trial court's decision to entertain this third-party application allowed for an abuse of the court process, as the applicant adopted inconsistent legal positions that misled the judicial proceedings. This irregular intervention is alleged to have occurred through the alleged interference of the Chancellor of KNUST, raising serious concerns about institutional pressure on the judiciary.
Appeal Filed Against the Setting Aside of the Original Judgment
An appeal was formally filed to challenge the ruling that set aside the judgment previously delivered by Justice Senyo Amedahe. This legal action asserts that the setting aside of the 2020 judgment was erroneous and contrary to established civil procedure. The appeal centers on the fact that the application to vacate the judgment was initiated by a stranger to the suit — an individual who was neither a party to the original litigation nor a member of the specific lineage involved. The trial court's decision to entertain this third-party application allowed for an abuse of the court process, as the applicant adopted inconsistent legal positions that misled the judicial proceedings. Ultimately, the appeal maintains that this irregular intervention occasioned a miscarriage of justice, which is now being rectified through the appellate court.
Reign of Terror
Following the filing of the appeal, a series of retaliatory events occurred. A Public Lands Officer who had previously validated the Family's land ownership rights through a legal certificate disappeared without explanation. The head of the Benimasi-Boadi family was abducted and taken to the Palace, where he was subjected to public humiliation and torture in the presence of the Chancellor. Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu was unlawfully detained in police custody for six days, where he was subjected to torture in an apparent attempt to criminalize his assertion of economic and cultural rights. During this period of escalation, a legal representative for the Chancellor explicitly threatened Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu, warning him to abandon the legal case or face severe consequences.
The Chancellor's Threats Against Land Rights Defenders
The Chancellor of KNUST publicly threatened any dissent or rights defenders with violence, stating that anyone who challenged him would have to face "his wrath" and further asserting that no court could overturn any decision he makes. These public statements — made by an individual who simultaneously holds the position of Chancellor of a public university — represent a direct challenge to the rule of law, judicial independence, and the constitutional rights of Indigenous land defenders in Ghana.
Criminalization as a Weapon
Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu was targeted through the deliberate use of criminal charges to suppress his efforts in defending community interests. Despite operating with full legal capacity and possessing valid documentation, he was criminalized for asserting his economic rights after entering into commercial agreements specifically designed to fund and protect the community's land rights. He was formally charged with "selling land without title" — a move that served as a tool for state-backed intimidation and a direct attempt to silence his advocacy. Following a lengthy and arduous trial, the judicial process ultimately vindicated Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu; he was acquitted and discharged of all charges, confirming that the legal pursuit lacked merit.
Government Complicity — Failure to Enforce Human Rights Laws
Despite a formal judgment by the Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court in Suit No. HR/0026/2023, presided over by Justice Barbara Tetteh Charway, which declared that Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu's fundamental human rights were violated by prolonged detention and degrading treatment in police custody, the government failed to provide effective remedies, including punitive damages. This demonstrates a lack of political will to hold rights violators accountable and highlights the state's complicity in denying justice for these egregious violations.
KMA Circuit Court Affirms Family's Rights
The Kumasi Metropolitan Area (KMA) Circuit Court, in Suit No. A1/73/2023 (Abusuapanin Odeneho Odehye Nanaba Kwabena Badu v. Nana Kwame Adu and Mr. Wobil), judicially affirmed the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family's ownership and title to the Boadi lands. This judgment constitutes binding judicial recognition of the Family's allodial rights and is relied upon as Exhibit G in the current High Court proceedings.
U.S. Incorporation — International Platform Established
Land Rights Defenders was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the United States, providing an international institutional platform for the case. This enabled the organization to access international funding, engage UN bodies, and amplify the case to a global audience — increasing pressure on Ghanaian authorities to ensure a fair judicial process.
Fresh Writ Filed — Suit No. ASH/ADK/HC/E1/177/25
A fresh Writ of Summons was filed in the High Court of Justice (Land Division), Kumasi-AD 2025, bearing Suit No. ASH/ADK/HC/E1/177/25. The Plaintiff — Abusuapanyin Odeneho Odehyee Nanaba Kwabena Badu, suing for and on behalf of the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family of Boadi, per his Lawful Attorney Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu — named KNUST (1st Defendant) and the Lands Commission (2nd Defendant). Lead Counsel for the Plaintiff: Peter Nii-Adjei Blebo, Esq.
Motion for Interlocutory Injunction Filed
The Plaintiff filed a Motion for Interlocutory Injunction seeking to restrain KNUST from any further development, encroachment, or construction on the Boadi lands pending the determination of the substantive suit. The motion was supported by a detailed affidavit documenting KNUST's ongoing and actively destructive trespass on the sacred cultural heritage site, including the burial grounds of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa.
Court Refuses Injunction — Orders GH¢1,000,000 Undertaking from KNUST
H/L Dr. Poku Adusei, JA (Court of Appeal Judge sitting as Additional High Court Judge) refused the interlocutory injunction on the grounds that the balance of convenience favoured not stalling a public university's operations. However, the Court ordered KNUST to execute an Undertaking of GH¢1,000,000 (one million Ghana Cedis) at the court registry within two weeks — payable to the Plaintiff should the action succeed. The Court also ordered expedited trial of the matter. KNUST's construction on the sacred burial grounds has continued unabated since this ruling.
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues — 23rd Session
Land Rights Defenders delivered a formal oral statement at the 23rd Session of the UNPFII in New York, presenting documented evidence of the Benimasi-Boadi dispossession to the international community. The statement detailed a pattern of systemic harassment and persecution of Indigenous land defenders in Ghana — including threats from institutional authorities and an account of being tortured for six days in police custody for land rights activism. It called on member states to uphold FPIC (Free, Prior and Informed Consent) principles, enforce the Land Act 2020 without exception, and hold accountable those who act with impunity against Indigenous land defenders.
Watch Oral Statement
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues — 24th Session
For the second consecutive year, Land Rights Defenders addressed the UNPFII in New York at the 24th Session. Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu, representing the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family — Indigenous People of Benimasi-Boadi, detailed the allodial title derived from King Osei Tutu I, the Land Act 2020 Circuit Court victory, ongoing exploitation by the Kumasi Traditional Council, and the High Court case against KNUST. The statement called for Global South Indigenous recognition and for international bodies to hold Ghana accountable to its UNDRIP obligations. The address concluded with a call for the Government of Ghana to enforce the Land Act 2020 without exception.
Watch Oral Statement
Court Orders Witness Statement — Pre-Trial Process Advances
The High Court granted a Court Order on October 29, 2025 directing the Plaintiff to file a Witness Statement. Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu filed a comprehensive 73-page Witness Statement on December 1, 2025, documenting the Family's allodial title, the expired Mother Lease, the void Renewal Lease, KNUST's ongoing trespass on the sacred heritage site, and the full evidentiary basis for each relief sought. A Pre-Trial Check List was also filed on November 4, 2025 confirming all evidence orders have been complied with.
High Court Trial — Suit No. ASH/ADK/HC/E1/177/25
The landmark trial is confirmed to commence at Ghana's High Court of Justice (Land Division), Kumasi. The case will determine whether KNUST's purported lease is void, whether the Renewal Lease is unconstitutional, and whether KNUST's decades-long occupation and ongoing desecration of the sacred burial grounds and cultural heritage site of the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family constitutes an unlawful trespass requiring full restitution, compensation, and damages.
Relief Sought from the High Court
The Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family's allodial title to the 1,298.33 acres of Benimasi-Boadi land is already legally established — confirmed by the Lands Commission, affirmed by multiple court judgments, and recognised under the Land Act 2020. This action does not seek to prove ownership. It seeks to compel KNUST and the Government of Ghana to formally acknowledge and respect that title, remove all unlawful encumbrances from the land registry, and provide full restitution for decades of trespass and desecration. As pleaded in Writ of Summons — Suit No. ASH/ADK/HC/E1/177/25, filed June 25, 2025.
Declaration of Void Lease
A High Court declaration that the purported lease executed in favour of KNUST by the Government of Ghana, affecting 1,298.33 acres at Boadi locality (Plan SGA/A296/2019), is unlawful, unconstitutional, and void ab initio.
Cancellation of Land Records
An order directed at the Lands Commission (2nd Defendant) to cancel and expunge all records, registrations, and certificates affecting the Boadi lands in favour of KNUST.
Permanent Prohibition Order
A permanent order prohibiting KNUST from alienating, leasing, mortgaging, selling, or transferring any interest in any portion of the Boadi lands — and from any further construction, development, or encroachment on the sacred heritage site.
Registration of Judgment
An order directed at the Lands Commission to formally register the Court's judgment in the Family's favour — not to establish title, which is already legally confirmed, but to ensure that KNUST's unlawful encumbrances are expunged from the official land registry and the Family's allodial title stands fully unencumbered on the public record.
General & Special Damages
General damages for persistent and unlawful interference with the Family's title; Special damages for actual loss and detriment caused by KNUST's encroachment on the protected ecological and cultural heritage reserve areas, including the desecration of the sacred burial grounds.
Mesne Profits & Costs
Mesne profits representing the fair value of KNUST's use and occupation of the land during the entire period of trespass, plus costs of the proceedings and such further relief as the Court may deem fit.
Court Documents & Exhibits
The following documents are certified true copies from the High Court of Justice, Kumasi, and the Lands Commission of Ghana. They constitute the primary evidentiary record in Suit No. ASH/ADK/HC/E1/177/25.
Stamped Cadastral Plan — 1,298.33 Acres (Benimasi-Boadi)
Official stamped cadastral plan showing the precise 1,298.33-acre boundary of the Benimasi-Boadi ancestral lands, prepared and certified by the Lands Commission. This is the primary cartographic legal instrument establishing the Family's title to the land and is a key exhibit in the High Court proceedings.
Download PDF (7.4 MB)Lands Commission Search Report — Certificate No. KSI. 239/2021 ✓ Title Confirmed
Issued by the Lands Commission of Ghana on 29 January 2021, this official Search Report Certificate (No. KSI. 239/2021) confirms that the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family's legitimate rights to the Boadi lands are unencumbered by KNUST's purported lease. This is the Lands Commission's own authoritative finding — the government body responsible for land registration — that the Family's allodial title is valid and unencumbered. It is a primary exhibit in Suit No. ASH/ADK/HC/E1/177/25.
Download PDF (7.6 MB)Writ of Summons
The founding pleading filed June 25, 2025 — names KNUST and the Lands Commission as defendants, states the cause of action, and sets out all six reliefs sought.
Download PDF (3.3 MB)Witness Statement
Comprehensive 73-page sworn statement by Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu documenting the Family's allodial title, the expired Mother Lease, KNUST's trespass on the sacred heritage site, and the full evidentiary basis for each relief.
Download PDF (5.7 MB)Motion for Interlocutory Injunction
Application to restrain KNUST from any further development, encroachment, or construction on the Boadi lands pending determination of the substantive suit.
Download PDF (781 KB)Ruling on Injunction Application
Certified true copy of the court's ruling refusing the interlocutory injunction and ordering KNUST to execute a GH¢1,000,000 undertaking at the court registry within two weeks.
Download PDF (244 KB)Court Note — 24 July 2025
Official court note of proceedings before H/L Dr. Poku Adusei, JA on 24 July 2025, recording the hearing on the injunction motion, counsels' arguments, and the court's ruling.
Download PDF (1.6 MB)KNUST Undertaking Order
The court order directing KNUST to execute an undertaking of GH¢1,000,000 at the court registry, payable to the Plaintiff should the action succeed.
Download PDF (92 KB)Proof of Service
Certified proof that the Writ of Summons and accompanying documents were duly served on KNUST (1st Defendant) and the Lands Commission (2nd Defendant).
Download PDF (771 KB)Circuit Court Judgement — Justice Abdul Razak Musah (November 2024)
Full judgement of His Lordship Abdul Razak Musah, sitting as Additional Circuit Judge at Kumasi (Suit No. KI/29/2023). The Court declares Oheneyere Yaa Huahi Achama Tutuwaa as the allodial owner of the Benimasi-Boadi lands, confirms the Head of Family's exclusive legal capacity, declares all purported sales null and void, and grants a permanent injunction and recovery of possession.
Download PDF (8.5 MB)KMA Circuit Court Judgement — Suit No. A1/73/2023 ✓ Allodial Title Affirmed
Full judgement of the Kumasi Metropolitan Area (KMA) Circuit Court in Suit No. A1/73/2023 (Abusuapanin Odeneho Odehye Nanaba Kwabena Badu v. Nana Kwame Adu & Mr. Wobil). The Court judicially affirmed the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family's allodial ownership and title to the Boadi lands pursuant to the Land Act 2020. This judgement constitutes binding judicial recognition of the Family's allodial rights and is relied upon as Exhibit G in the current High Court proceedings (Suit No. ASH/ADK/HC/E1/177/25). Independently reported by Ghana News Agency (Aug 7, 2025) and The Spectator / New Times Corporation (Aug 16, 2025).
Parcel Plotting Plan — Benimasi-Boadi Ancestral Lands
Official parcel plotting plan prepared by a licensed surveyor and approved by the Director of Survey, bearing Regional Number 9612079. This plan defines the boundaries of the Oheneyere Yaa Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family lands at Benimasi-Boadi, Kumasi, as referenced in the 2024 Circuit Court Judgement.
Download PDF (799 KB)Family Tree — Osei Tutu I Royal Lineage
Certified genealogical record tracing the direct lineal descent of the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family from Asantehene Osei Tutu I, founder of the Ashanti Empire. This document establishes the hereditary basis of the Family's allodial title and the legal standing of the Head of Family and his lawful attorney.
Download PDF (1.0 MB)Mapeo ICCA Boundary — GeoJSON Export (Benimasi-Boadi)
Internationally registered ICCA (Indigenous and Community Conserved Area) boundary file for the Huahi Achama Tutuwaa Royal Family of Benimasi-Boadi. Registered via Mapeo and submitted to the ICCA Registry. Contains 36 precise GPS coordinates defining the 5.25 km² (1,298.33 acres) boundary. Recognised by the ICCA Consortium and relevant to UN UNDRIP advocacy.
Download PDF (5 KB)Kumasi City Survey Map — Boadi Area Location (LVD/ASR/30/11/2021)
Official Lands Valuation Division survey map showing the geographic location of the Boadi area within the wider Kumasi city grid. This map provides authoritative spatial context for the Benimasi-Boadi ancestral parcel, situating it within the Kumasi Metropolitan Area and confirming its distinct identity from the KNUST campus. Reference: LVD/ASR/30/11/2021.
View Image (2.4 MB)All documents are certified true copies from the High Court of Justice (Land Division), Kumasi, or official instruments of the Lands Commission of Ghana. They are published here in the public interest, in support of transparency and the right of the Benimasi-Boadi community to be heard. Media and researchers may cite these documents with attribution to Land Rights Defenders Inc.
Benimasi-Boadi, Kumasi, Ghana
Color-coded satellite analysis showing degraded/desecrated land (red) vs. intact surrounding area (green)
Imagery © Esri World Imagery Wayback | GPS Boundary: Mapeo ICCA Survey
Protect the Sacred Grounds
The sacred burial grounds of Oheneyere Huahi Yaa Achama Tutuwaa — protected by the Benimasi-Boadi community for generations — are being actively desecrated by KNUST construction. The High Court trial on 24 October 2026 is the community's best opportunity to stop this and secure justice.
Legal representation, court filings, expert witnesses, and travel costs for the October 2026 trial all require funding. Your donation goes directly to the legal team defending this sacred heritage site.
How You Can Support This Case
Fund the Legal Fight
Legal representation, court filings, expert witnesses, and travel to Ghana for the October 2026 trial all require funding. Every donation directly supports the legal team fighting to protect the sacred burial grounds and secure justice for the Benimasi-Boadi community.
Donate NowSpread the Word
Share this case with journalists, academics, human rights organizations, and policymakers. The more visibility this case receives, the harder it becomes for institutional power to continue desecrating ancestral burial grounds without consequence.
Get InvolvedDownload the Press Kit
Journalists and researchers can access Land Rights Defenders' full press kit, including case documentation, founder biography, media coverage, and UN submissions documenting the desecration of the sacred heritage site.
View Media Resources
At the United Nations, New York
"The bones of our ancestors rest in that soil. No institution — however powerful — has the right to build over them without consequence. Every excavator that breaks that ground is not building a university. It is committing a desecration. And we will not rest until the court says so."
— Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu, Founder & Executive Director, Land Rights Defenders
Share This Case
Every share brings this case to journalists, policymakers, and human rights advocates who can amplify the Benimasi-Boadi community's fight for justice. Help us reach the people who can make a difference.
Your message will say:
"A Ghanaian court granted the Benimasi-Boadi community allodial title — the highest form of land ownership under Ghanaian law. Despite this, KNUST is desecrating their sacred burial grounds. High Court trial: 24 October 2026. Read the full case: landrightsdefenders.org/cases/knust"
Share this article
Sharing takes 2 seconds and helps the community's story reach more people.