Mr Justice E.K. Wiredu, Supreme Court Judge, also led 150 members of the bench and the bar to pay their last respects to Otumfuo Opoku Ware the second, who is lying in state at the executive lounge of the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi. Justice Wiredu described the late Asantehene as a man of great humility and a wise counsellor saying, he would be missed by both members of the bench and the bar. As custom demands, Justice Wiredu, on behalf of the bench and the bar, donated one carton schnapps and 1.5 million cedis to Asanteman. 500,000 cedis of the amount is for the Asantehemaa, Nana Afua Kobi Serwaa Ampem. Members of the Freemasons Lodge from all parts of the country, comprising the Scottish, English and Irish, were also at the palace to pay their last respects. A delegation from the Odd Fellows also paid their respects. As usual, there was hustle and bustle as people from all walks of life elbowed their way to the palace in a meandering queue to pay their last respects as guns boomed, the “fontonfrom” and “atunpan” throbbed amidst dirges. The police had hectic time controlling the spilling crowd, which had congregated behind the palace gate and the funeral grounds with the queue moving at snail pace. More
