A legal battle has erupted between some of Ghana’s most distinguished heart specialists and a world-renowned colleague, as four senior surgeons from the National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCC) have filed a lawsuit against retired Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng and his son, Dr. Yaw Frimpong-Boateng, over the ownership of residential properties in Accra.
The plaintiffs, who filed the suit on Thursday, March 12, 2026, through their legal representatives, Amenuvor and Associates, include Dr. Kow Entsua-Mensah, Professor Ernest Adibuer Aniteye, Dr. David Abraham Kotei, Dr. Lawrence Agyeman Sereboe, and Mrs. Lucy Agyemang, a former Stenographer Secretary at the NCC.
The case, which has sent shockwaves through the medical community, centers on a parcel of land at Okpoi Gonno, near the Spintex Road, and the homes built upon it.
The Plaintiffs’ Case: A 17-Year-Old Agreement
According to the statement of claim accompanying the writ of summons, the dispute stems from an initiative around the year 2000 to provide housing for dedicated medical staff at the NCC, which was then headed by Professor Frimpong-Boateng.
The plaintiffs detail that the NCC acquired the land and began construction of residential buildings, which were completed up to the lintel level. They claim that they, along with some nurses, were subsequently allocated portions of this land by the Centre. Between 2006 and 2009, they were granted the properties with the understanding that they would complete the buildings themselves and take ownership.
The doctors and Mrs. Agyemang state they invested significant personal funds to complete the construction. They have since taken possession of the homes and have lived there openly, continuously, and without interruption from 2006 to the present day. They argue that they have exercised full ownership rights, including paying utility bills and maintaining the properties.
“The Plaintiffs… say that the Defendants’ recent attempt to assert ownership over the properties after allowing them to develop and occupy the same for over 17 years is unconscionable, wrongful, and contrary to equity and good conscience,” part of the statement reads.
The Dispute: From Rent Control to “Move Out” Inscriptions
The legal action was triggered by a complaint lodged by Professor Frimpong-Boateng at the Accra Rent Control Department in February 2026. In that complaint, the Professor allegedly asserted ownership of the properties and described the occupants as tenants who were allowed to stay “temporarily out of goodwill,” claiming no transfer of ownership or gift of land was ever executed.
The plaintiffs vehemently reject this characterization, stating it is “false, misleading and calculated to improperly invoke the jurisdiction of the Rent Control Department.” They maintain that no landlord-tenant relationship has ever existed between them and Professor Frimpong-Boateng.
Tensions escalated when the plaintiffs claim Professor Frimpong-Boateng visited the properties and inscribed threatening messages on them, reading: “THIS PROPERTY IS SOLD. MOVE OUT BY 16/03/2026.” The doctors describe this act as “harassment, intimidation, and an unlawful attempt to dispossess” them outside of due process.
Reliefs Sought
The four surgeons and the former secretary are now seeking the following reliefs from the court:
- A declaration that they are the lawful owners and legal possessors of their respective properties at Okpoi Gonno.
- A perpetual injunction to restrain Professor Frimpong-Boateng and his son, their agents and assigns, from interfering with the plaintiffs’ ownership and quiet enjoyment of the properties.
- An order directing the defendants to remove the threatening inscriptions written on the properties.
- General damages for trespass and unlawful interference with their proprietary rights.
- Costs, including legal fees.
The case highlights a dramatic falling out between former colleagues at one of Ghana’s most prestigious medical institutions and is expected to turn on the legal principles of adverse possession, proprietary estoppel, and the statute of frauds. As of the time of this report, no response has been filed by the defendants.
