The founder of the New Force, Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as Cheddar, has told the the High Court in Accra that he is opposed to the Forestry Commission’s request to recover possession of two tigers he had imported into the country.
This was after Cheddar, also known as Freedom Jacob Caesar, had caused his lawyers to enter an appearance in the case filed by the Forestry Commission.
Per the action of the Commission on January 26, 2026, by the Ecotourism of the Wildlife Division of the Commission, the Commission is seeking an order of the High Court to forfeit the two tigers to the State.
The Commission said the manner in which the two tigers were imported into the country breached export and import permits requirements rules and is in direct violation of the scientific authority’s advice or management authority as contained in Article III of the CITES convention.
In court on Thursday, March 5, 2026, Abena Boakye Esq, the lawyer for Cheddar u indicated to the court that she has filed a notice of appointment as the lawyer for the Respondent, and indicated they are opposing the request filed by the Commission to claim the tigers.
The High Court, presided over by Justice Sedinam Awo Kwadam, has directed Cheddar, who was represented, to file his affidavit in opposition by March 13. The case has been adjourned to March 25, 2026, for hearing.
Affidavit in support
The Applicant (Commission) in its affidavit in support of the action, which is deposed to by Christian Atsu Fumey-Nassah, Director, Stakeholders and Ecotourism of the Wildlife Division (WD) of the Forestry Commission, premised it on Wildlife Resources Management Act, 2023, Act 1115.
The effect is to seek an order to confiscate the two tigers illegally imported into the country.
The Affidavit in support, filed with the consent of Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, stated that, in line with the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission’s mandate of maintaining and conserving wildlife and managing wildlife-protected areas, the Applicant is a signatory to a number of international conventions and other treaties concerning wildlife, particularly endangered species.
The Applicant said these international commitments have been duly incorporated in various domestic Wildlife laws and other policies.
It said sometime in 2022, it came to the notice of the Applicant that Nana Kwame Bediako, also known as Freedom Jacob Caesar, had brought into the country two tigers and he was keeping them in his home, which was located in a residential area.
The Applicant said a visit and subsequent investigation were carried out, and at the end of the investigation, it came to light that Mr. Nana Kwame Bediako, without lawful authority and in breach of Wildlife laws, brought these two tigers into the country.
Dangerous species
According to the Applicant, the species of tigers found in the home of Mr. Nana Kwame Bediako are unknown to the Ecological Zones not only of Ghana but the whole of Africa.
It said the (Panthera tigris altacia) tigers are an endangered species and listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The Applicant added that some other species that can be found in Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) include Great apes (Pan troglodytes), Elephants (genus Loxodonta and Elephas), Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans), Marine turtles (Chelonia mydas – green turtle; Dermochels coriacea-leatherback turtle) among others.
In this case, it said Appendix 1 of the CITES convention contains over 36,000 tree species, and over 6,000 animal species can be accessed.
Article III of the CITES convention
To buttress its case for the order being sought, the Commission said Article III of the CITES Convention provides that the export and import of Appendix I species require prior grant of export and import permits.
The convention further provides that the Scientific Authorities must determine that the trade is not detrimental to the survival of the species, while management authorities must be satisfied that specimens are legally acquired, and Import permits will not be granted where specimens are intended primarily for commercial purposes.
It is the case of the Applicant that the CITES convention is signed by a number of countries and has some obligations imposed on each signatory country, and that each signatory pledges to ensure that species found in Appendix I are not experimented on or traded in any way.
No permit
The Commission said in the present case, the two (2) Tigers were imported without export permits, import permits, scientific authority advice, or management authority approvals, in direct violation of Article III of CITES.
It said these two tigers were being kept by Mr. Nana Kwame Bediako as a pet at his home in a residential neighbourhood without lawful authorization.
The Commission said despite “this breach and in the interest of the tigers and the general public, the Applicant took steps to take possession of the two tigers.”
It noted that there was a need to provide a suitable facility to house these tigers and also get the right medical care for them, and the Applicant has since facilitated the re-introduction of these tigers to a facility within the Achimota Zoo enclave of the Forestry Commission since January 2024.
To this end, the Applicant is praying the Court for an order to formally forfeit these two tigers to the State.
“….I have been advised by my learned Counsel, and I verily believe same to be true, that this Honourable Court has inherent power to order for the forfeiture of these two Tigers. ….The Forestry Commission humbly prays this Honourable Court to order forfeiture of the Two (2) Tigers to the State,” the Commission stated.
Update on case
In Court on Thursday, February 19, 2026 lawyers of the Forestry Commission informed the High Court presided over by Justice Sedinam Awo Kwadam that they are struggling to have the hearing notice served on the Defendant.
While indicating to the Court that the Commission has been able to establish contact with Cheddar, they hope to get him and have him served.
Justice Kwadam pointed out that if by the next adjourned date the Commission is unable to serve the processes on Cheddar, they could consider an application for a substituted service.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
