Allegations of land grabbing against COCOBOD CEO Dr. Randy Abbey and National Security official Richard Jakpa have been strongly denied by lawyers representing the owners of the disputed property at Tse Addo, Accra.
The legal team says recent media reports making such claims are unfounded and misleading.
In a statement dated May 11, 2025, lawyers from Kuenyehia & Nutsukpui, representing Comfort Adjeley Odamtten, Salomey Adjeley Odamtten, and Kai Odamtten, described the COCOBOD boss land grab allegations as a “palpable falsehood.” They said their clients legally inherited the 0.20-acre parcel of land from their late father, E.K. Odamtten, and had maintained peaceful possession for over two decades.
The lawyers clarified that on February 13, 2025, armed land guards led by a known operative, Poppy Osman, unlawfully evicted the Odamttens and demolished their home. Osman reportedly began unauthorized construction of a 12-storey building on the land, damaging nearby properties, including that of Dr. Randy Abbey, a neighbor.
Despite filing petitions with police and the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly, the victims received little help. The Assembly confirmed that no construction permits had been issued for the project and had even issued a stop-work notice to Osman.
As a last resort, the Odamttens appealed to the National Security Secretariat, which dispatched a team led by Richard Jakpa on May 9, 2025, to halt the illegal activity. Osman failed to provide any documentation proving ownership or permits for construction.
The lawyers emphasized that the intervention by National Security was legal and justified, contrary to media reports suggesting abuse of power by Abbey and Jakpa.
“There is no truth to the claim that Dr. Randy Abbey used National Security to seize land,” the lawyers said. “He was also a victim of the unauthorized construction, and residents are grateful for the action taken to restore law and order.”
They urged the public to disregard the COCOBOD boss land grab allegations and treat them with the contempt they deserve.
