Due to fraught interpersonal relations with his missionary colleagues and locals, "the Home Committee requested a general summation of Riis' practices on the Gold Coast." Among his alleged crimes was the charge of financial irregularities - the renovation of his private house at Christiansborg using mission funds. His detractors also alleged that his tenant, a Danish alcoholic, Dr. Hansen sold rum on Riis' property, even on Sundays. He had also sold for profit the clothes which were to have been given to the West Indians. Riis bought land at
Abokobi for farming to be undertaken by the mission. Purchase costs amounted to forty-seven
Danish rigsdaler. The agricultural proceeds were to be used to generate revenue through trading in order to fund the Basel mission activities on the
Gold Coast. He informed the Home Committee of this new development. However, the farm workers were really indentured labourers and in some cases, domestic slaves. This was a violation of the protocol, ordinance and ethos of the Basel mission. He was also accused of barter trade in shot guns, gunpowder, flints and brandy, all strictly prohibited by the Basel Mission. As a bachelor, Riis was also accused of sexual misconduct and daliances with multiple local women. Additionally he was rumoured to have fathered an
illegitimate daughter with his
Ga mistress at Christiansborg This allegation was made by the Basel missionary, Friedrich Schiedt in a letter to the Home Committee in Basel which was discussed by the board on 24 March 1847. It was noted that Schiedt frequently clashed with Riis. Some of the complaints against Riis appeared exaggerated. In a report dated 13 December 1846, Schiedt stated that "Riis never acknowledges any fault – he cannot stand contradictions –he neglects his proper missionary work, even with his own houseboy. He had promised freedom for his slaves in the day of their baptism." Schiedt, nonetheless, was also dismissed from the Gold Coast mission later for separate offences – multiple accusations of character assassination, habitual lateness, crudeness, insufficient piety, disparaging the Home Committee and threatening to become a Methodist. These claims mostly came from Schiedt's co-workers, Widmann, Stanger and Meischel. Schiedt also sabotaged the careers of his accusers. His other charges "included were accusations of mismanagement of Mission property, associated with a 'debauched' chaplain in the Danish settlement in Christiansborg, refusing legitimate orders from his superiors, and misappropriating the mail of his fellow missionaries, thus interfering with the lines of communication between the Committee and the field." As punishment, Schiedt was exiled to the United States where he became a Lutheran pastor to the German-speaking churches there. Petty squabbles and backbiting were not uncommon. Another complaint by a fellow missionary, Hermann Halleur accused Riis of instigating general anxiety and conflict. Johann Georg Widmann on the other hand counter-accused Halleur of nurturing a deep hatred against Riis and having an attitude that made him extremely difficult to work with. Riis viewed Halleur as lazy and selfish and prone to mood swings. In the end, disillusioned and depressed, Halleur and another missionary resigned altogether from the Basel mission and returned to their respective hometowns. The West Indian missionaries also petitioned the Basel Mission Inspector, recounting the ill-treatment they received at the hands of Andreas Riis. Some disagreements among the Caribbean missionaries over the distribution of clothing supplies resulted in the flogging of Antiguan, Jonas Horsford by a labourer-foreman, Ashong, at the behest of Riis. When the cane broke, Riis continued the "punishment" by punching Horsford with his fists while simultaneously, kicking him with his boots. Horsford, who was then in his early twenties, fled to Christiansborg, where he stayed with Basel missionary, Frederick Schiedt. He later returned to Akropong but had frequent verbal clashes with the Basel missionaries. Horsford wished to observe traditional practices of the natives such as funerals, cultural festivals and "fetish" dances. After being criticised by missionary, Johannes Christian Dieterle, he ran away to Accra and later,
Cape Coast out of anger and humiliation. Upon his request, Jonas Horsford was voluntarily repatriated to
Antigua but died at sea on his way home. This incident happened after J. G. Widmann reported to the Home Committee in 1844, about how Riis treated the West Indians. Another Basel missionary, Ernst Sebald noted that "the West Indians had their faults but were wrongly treated by Riis who had nevertheless good intentions. He thinks that the West Indians should live like the natives." Occasionally, Riis became violent against locals as well and verbally abused them during meals. In August 1845, the Home Committee recalled Andreas Riis and his wife Anna Wolters to Basel so he could be afforded a fair hearing before a panel of missionaries responsible for enforcing discipline. On 13 August 1845 at 4p.m, he sailed from the Gold Coast to London. In London, he transferred to the
Basel-bound ship
Robert Heddle. When he appeared before the committee, he boldly defended his actions on the Gold Coast. He contested the use of indentured labour on the mission farm as he believed he had bought the freedom of domestic slaves, including a ten-year-old boy, from slave traders and offered them a source of livelihood. In 1846, the jury gave its verdict which was to revoke Riis' appointment to the
Gold Coast and force his resignation from the
Basel Mission, on grounds of deteriorating physical and mental health. In effect, Andreas Riis had been summarily dismissed from his post as a Basel missionary. == Life after the Gold Coast ==