Dispute Erupts Over Drug Store: Owner Seeks Resolution

A contentious dispute has arisen over a local drug store in a certain town. The store’s owner, who fell ill and temporarily handed over operations to his daughter, was taken by surprise upon his return.

During an appearance on the M’asem program, Mr. Oti Akenten, the store owner, revealed that his daughter had entrusted the store to another individual named Kwame Bombay.

“I have been visiting the store every year since 2020 when Bombay took over. He used to send me GHC500 annually to cover the license fee and occasionally a monthly allowance.”

However, the owner was taken aback when this year’s license payment failed to materialize.

Determined to get to the bottom of the issue, he decided to personally visit the drug store.

To his astonishment, he discovered rumors circulating that the building, along with its two-bedroom unit, had been sold.

Upon arriving at the store on a Monday, the owner encountered an unfamiliar face—a young man who, he was informed, was employed by Bombay.

“I was told that Bombay now works with customs, so this young man was put in charge.”

The problem arose when Mr. Oti requested a meeting with Bombay and his father. He expressed his desire to resume work and thanked Kwame for managing the store in his absence.

In response, Bombay’s father stated, “Kwame Bombay, bring the drugs to the house. After all, people sell drugs from their homes.”

This statement shocked Mr. Oti.

Bombay claimed that all the drugs present in the store when he took over had expired and were disposed of, and therefore, the current stock belongs to him.

This revelation was surprising since the owner regularly communicated with him by phone but was never informed of such a development.

To compound the situation, he offered a meager compensation of GHC500, which the owner accepted to settle the license fee.

With no resolution in sight, the owner decided to escalate the matter to the chief. Unfortunately, the chief was unwell but directed them to a customs officer named Kwame Yeboah, who allegedly worked closely with Bombay.

While discussing the situation with Officer Kwame Yeboah, the owner witnessed Bombay’s wife and friends removing the remaining drugs from the store.

Seeking justice and fair compensation, the owner insisted that if Bombay claimed all the drugs had expired and he replaced them, he should be held responsible for rent and reimbursement for the original stock.

During a phone interview on the show, Kwame Bombay acknowledged his occupation of the drug store but argued that he had replaced expired drugs with new ones. However, he failed to communicate these actions to the store’s owner, further complicating matters.

On the other hand, the owner vehemently denied that the drugs had expired. He emphasized his involvement in the store’s operations and close monitoring of sales.

Unfortunately, their oral agreement lacked written documentation, leaving room for confusion regarding the agreement’s duration.

Both parties find themselves at odds, each holding their own version of events.

Bombay finally agreed to return the drugs to the store for the owner to reclaim what belongs to him.