2025.10.23 Amansie West DISEC arrests 21 Burkinabe nationals for mining in water bodies at Esaase Bontefufuo
Manso-Nkwanta (Ash), Oct. 23, GNA – The Amansie West District Security Council (DISEC), has apprehended 21 foreign nationals, all identified as Burkinabes, for engaging in illegal mining activities in water bodies at Esaase Bontefufuo, in the Ashanti Region.
The arrest, led by the District Police Command and the Formed Police Unit (FPU) under the command of ASP Solomon Adusei Berko, followed a special intelligence-led operation after DISEC received credible information about illegal mining operations being conducted by the foreigners along river bodies within the district.
According to ASP Berko, the suspects were arrested during a coordinated dawn operation that targeted multiple sites where heavy pollution of nearby streams and destruction of vegetation had been reported.
“We moved in swiftly upon receiving the report and arrested the 21 Burkinabes actively engaged in mining operations on the water bodies.
Several pieces of mining equipment and tools used in their operations were retrieved,” he said.
ASP Berko emphasised that the illegal mining activities of the suspects had caused severe environmental degradation, including the destruction of farmlands and the contamination of rivers, which served as major sources of drinking water for surrounding communities.
Mr Prince Manu Morris, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Amansie West and Chairman of the District Security Council, commended the swift response by the security agencies and reaffirmed the Assembly’s firm stance against illegal mining activities in the district.
He emphasised that the DISEC, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, the National Intelligence Bureau, and the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), would continue to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations to ensure that all illegal foreign miners were flushed out.
“We cannot allow the destruction of our environment and water bodies to continue. The government is committed to protecting our natural resources and ensuring that mining activities are done responsibly and legally.
“Any individual or group, whether local or foreign, who engages in such destructive practices will face the full rigours of the law,” Mr Morris stated.
He further appealed to the residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious mining activities or movements of foreigners in their communities to the appropriate authorities for prompt action.
The arrested Burkinabes are currently in police custody assisting with investigations, while arrangements are being made to hand them over to the GIS for further processing and possible repatriation.
2025.10.21 2 suspected armed robbers grabbed at Adumasa, assault rifles retrieved
Two suspects have been arrested in connection with a violent armed robbery incident that occurred at Adumasa in the Ashanti Region on Monday, October 20, 2025, leading to the retrieval of an assault rifle.
According to police sources, the Konongo District Commander, Superintendent Teddy Brown, received a distress call around 7:30 p.m. from a resident of Bomfa reporting an ongoing robbery at Adumasa market. Acting swiftly on the information, Supt. Brown, accompanied by ASP L. J. Kanton, led a joint team comprising the Konongo Divisional Taskforce, the Formed Police Unit (FPU), and the District Patrol Team to the scene.
Preliminary investigations revealed that three armed men riding a motorbike stormed the Adumasa market wielding different types of weapons, including an assault rifle identified as M47M16A2E.
The robbers reportedly opened fire indiscriminately and attacked a gold merchant, Ebenezer Boampong Adubofour, demanding he surrender all his gold and cash.
The sporadic shooting injured six people — Deborah Augustina, 28, a food vendor; Alhassan Iddrisu, 29; Redford Osei Bright, 28; Ebenezer Boampong Adubofour, 35; Isaac Mensah, 36; and Shadrach Marfo, 23.
The robbers managed to escape with an unspecified quantity of gold and cash but were pursued by some residents of the town.
In the course of the chase, the robbers abandoned the assault rifle, four live rounds of ammunition, and a motorbike that was later found completely burnt before fleeing into an unknown location.
The injured victims were rushed to the SDA Hospital at Nobwam and the Konongo Government Hospital, where they are reportedly in stable condition and responding to treatment.
Police, together with the Assembly Member of Adumasa, mounted a search in the surrounding areas but the suspects initially evaded arrest.
However, two individuals have since been arrested to assist in investigations, while efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining accomplice.
The retrieved weapon and ammunition have been secured as exhibits, and police say the crime scene remains under investigation.
Authorities have assured the public that updates on the case will be provided as investigations progress.
The operation forms part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining activities and protect the country’s natural resources.
2025.9.19 Nine Men Face Court Over Darkuman Machete Attack
Nine suspects have been arraigned at Adabraka District Court in connection with a violent machete and axe attack on Mutala Yayaa at Darkuman on September 10, 2025, Accra Regional Police Command has confirmed.
The accused persons are Bernard Tagoe aka Asa Sese, Nii Eric Martey, Michael Lokko, Felix Adu Mensah, Habib Gusamu, Solomon Assan, Kwame Khalid, Jacob Addy, and Gideon Arthur, who allegedly assaulted Yayaa with cutlasses, axes, and scissors, leaving him with deep wounds.
The brutal attack was captured on video and went viral on social media platforms, shocking viewers with its graphic nature and raising questions about community safety in the Greater Accra suburb.
Superintendent Juliana Obeng, Head of Public Affairs for the Accra Region, confirmed that all accused persons pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and causing harm during their court appearance.
The suspects have been remanded into police custody and will reappear on September 29, 2025, as legal proceedings continue in what appears to be a complex case involving multiple assailants and weapons.
Police investigations reveal that four additional suspects remain at large, with authorities actively pursuing individuals identified as Yaala, Show, Joseph Gattor, Savess, and John Km in connection with the attack.
The incident occurred at Darkuman Cable in the Greater Accra Region, where the complainant allegedly suffered multiple cutlass and axe wounds and was stabbed several times with scissors, according to police reports.
Community members expressed shock at the level of violence displayed in the viral footage, which showed multiple attackers pursuing and assaulting the victim in what appeared to be a coordinated assault.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear as police continue their investigations, though the coordinated nature of the assault suggests possible underlying disputes or grievances between the parties involved.
Legal experts note that the charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and causing harm carry significant penalties under Ghana’s criminal code, particularly given the severity of the injuries allegedly inflicted.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about youth violence and weapons proliferation in some Accra communities, where disputes occasionally escalate to dangerous confrontations involving deadly weapons.
Police assured the public that efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects continue, emphasizing their commitment to ensuring all individuals connected to the attack face justice through proper legal channels.
The Darkuman incident adds to growing concerns about community safety and the need for effective conflict resolution mechanisms to prevent disputes from escalating to violence.
Social media circulation of the attack video prompted widespread condemnation and calls for swift police action, demonstrating public intolerance for such violent behavior in residential communities.
The legal proceedings will determine the extent of each suspect’s involvement in the attack and appropriate penalties for their alleged participation in the violent assault that left Yayaa with serious injuries.
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The operation, led as part of efforts to curb the galamsey menace resulted in the arrest of three suspected illegal miners and the seizure of seven water pumping machines among other equipments.
Subsequently, the group and the confiscated equipments were handed over to police authorities for further investigations and prosecution.
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2025.8.3 Ex-convict teacher sentenced to 48 years for defilement
An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced Sokah Phidels Load, a 47-year-old teacher and ex-convict, to 48 years’ imprisonment with hard labour after he was found guilty of defiling a seven-year-old girl.
The presiding judge, Mr G.A. Inkumsah-Ishum, found Sokah guilty after a full trial. Sokah had pleaded not guilty.
According to the prosecution led by Police Chief Inspector Edna Aningah, the convict has a history of similar criminal behaviour.
The prosecutor noted that in 2011, Sokah was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment for defilement, which was later reduced to 15 years on appeal, a sentence he completed in 2020.
Despite his past conviction, he secured employment in a basic school without the school being aware of his criminal background.
Case background
According to the prosecutor, the complainant is the father of the victim and lives with his daughter in Accra.
She added that Sokah, who lived on the school’s premises, had been employed at the victim’s school for just three weeks.
“On February 6, 2025, at around 7.15 a.m., the victim’s father dropped her off at school. Sokah, who was then in his office located at the Administrator’s Block, observed the girl entering the common hall to place her drink in the school’s fridge.
He called her to his office under false pretences,” she explained.
The prosecutor stated that when the victim entered Sokah’s office, he asked her to show him her panty, which she did, afterwards he took the victim to the teachers’ washroom and instructed her to sit on the water closet and angrily asked her to remove her panty and cover her face, which she did with her uniform but peeped to watch him.
She added that the convict then opened his flap, knelt and inserted his finger and penis into the victim’s private part, leading to her screaming for help.
Sokah, however, covered her mouth and warned her not to tell anyone else, he would cane her, but the victim later confided in another pupil who was the sister of her classmate. That pupil then reported the incident to school authorities.
She said that the school promptly called the victim to the director’s office at the close of school, where she recounted her experience in the presence of her father.
The prosecutor said that upon realising the matter had been reported, Sokah fled the school premises and went into hiding.
“A complaint was then lodged with the police, and the victim was issued a medical form and taken for examination at a hospital.”
Chief Inspector Aningah told the court that efforts to reach Sokah proved unsuccessful until later, when he sent a voice note to the school, acknowledging that he had heard the police were searching for him, but he still refused to surrender.
The prosecutor added that the police eventually traced his hideout at Santeo, a community in Accra.
She stated that surveillance with his identification card was then mounted in the neighbourhood, leading to his arrest on March 13, 2025.
“After a thorough investigation, Sokah was charged with the offence and brought before the court,” the prosecutor stated.
2025.8.2 UDS student gets life sentence – In murder over love affair
The High Court in Tamale has sentenced a Computer Science student of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Salifu Nurudeen, to life imprisonment for the murder of a fellow student.
The court, presided over by Justice Charles Kwesi Acheampong, convicted Nurudeen, alias Salifu Nko-nya, last Thursday after finding him guilty of the murder of Wumpini Mohammed Zakiu, a Pharmacy student of the same university.
The incident, which occurred on September 25, 2024, stemmed from a dispute over a romantic relationship.
The fellow female student, also of UDS, was said to have ended her relationship with Nurudeen and moved on to a new affair with Zakiu.
A supposedly jealous Nurudeen stabbed Zakiu multiple times, resulting in his death.
The tragic incident sent shockwaves across the UDS community.
Jealousy turns deadly
The facts as presented in court were that on September 25, 2024, Zakiu’s body was discovered with multiple stab wounds in an uncompleted building at the university, with his mobile phone missing.
Nurudeen’s actions, the court heard, were fuelled by jealousy after his former girlfriend ended their relationship and began dating her new friend.
Nurudeen, in a calculated scheme, created a fake snapchat account using the identity of a non-existent female admirer to lure Zakiu to an uncompleted building, and brutally attacked and stabbed him multiple times.
The prosecution, led by state attorneys, presented compelling evidence, including CCTV footage from a nearby installation, which captured Zakiu being chased into the building.
In an attempt to mislead investigators and frame his ex-girlfriend, Nurudeen was said to have removed the SIM card from Zakiu’s mobile phone, inserted it into his own device, and began impersonating the deceased.
He sent messages to the girl, pretending to break up with her, and then sent a text message to one of Zakiu’s close friends, saying, “Charley I go find trouble o, dem go kill me”.
The deception, however, could not succeed as investigators from the police cybercrime unit traced the phone’s location to Nurudeen’s residence in Nyankpala.
Search
A search of Nurudeen’s room led to the recovery of Zakiu’s phone hidden under Nurudeen’s bed.
Subsequent forensic and digital evidence tied him directly to the crime.
Subsequently, Nurudeen was arrested at the Tamale Jubilee Park after being lured by the police through coordinated efforts.
Despite overwhelming evidence, he consistently denied committing the murder throughout the trial.
Throughout the proceedings and even as the verdict was delivered, the convict reportedly showed no visible emotion.
On Thursday, July 31, 2025, a seven-member jury returned a guilty verdict by a margin of 6 to 1, leading to the life sentence.
2025.7.22 Tamale Court Convicts Drug Trafficker in Major Opioid Bust
A Tamale Circuit Court has imposed a GHS 168,000 fine on 53-year-old Alhaji Abdulai Sayuti after convicting him for possessing and illegally selling restricted opioid drugs.
The penalty, equivalent to 14,000 penalty units per count, comes with a default sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment if unpaid, with both terms to run concurrently.
Police intelligence operations in June 2024 uncovered Sayuti’s drug network, seizing 368 tramadol blisters at his Victory Cimana residence near Aboabo. Subsequent raids at a Fou warehouse yielded 447 boxes of tramadol and 11 boxes of tramaking – a synthetic opioid painkiller. The Northern Regional Police Command’s investigation revealed the scale of the operation before prosecutors brought charges.
Presiding Judge Her Ladyship ordered the destruction of confiscated drugs and mandated Sayuti to sign a 36-month good behavior bond. The convict had pleaded guilty on July 16 to possession and prohibited sale of restricted substances, but was remanded until sentencing. This case marks a significant victory in Ghana’s intensified crackdown on pharmaceutical opioid abuse, particularly in northern regions where tramadol trafficking has surged.
He stole her handbag, which contained an iPhone 16 Pro Max and a purse with an unspecified amount of money.
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The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested a 53-year-old man, Alhaji Abdulai Sayuti, for the unlawful possession and sale of restricted pharmaceutical drugs in Tamale.
According to the police, the suspect was apprehended at his over-the-counter chemical shop near Victory Cinema in Aboabo, where he was found in possession of 368 blisters of Tramadol (120mg) and 298 blisters of Tramaking (120mg).
Further investigations at the suspect’s residence in Fuo, a suburb of Tamale, led to the discovery of an additional 447 boxes of Tramadol and 11 boxes of Tramaking in a warehouse.
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2025.6.12 Wa Court Sentences Teenage Robber to 20 Years’ Hard Labor
A 19-year-old robber has been handed a two-decade prison sentence by the Wa Circuit Court for a violent motorcycle theft earlier this year.
Adams Hamidu, alias “Gyida,” received 20 years imprisonment with hard labor on June 5, 2025, following a successful prosecution by the Upper West Regional Police Command.
The conviction stems from a February 2025 incident where Hamidu and a masked accomplice robbed a victim at gunpoint, making off with a blue Honda motorbike (GH¢20,000), a Tecno smartphone (GH¢1,300), and GH¢10,800 in cash. Police tracked down the teenager through intelligence operations, arresting him on June 1 in Domowa within the Wa West District.
“This conviction demonstrates our unwavering commitment to community protection and law enforcement,” stated the Upper West Regional Police Command in an official release. Authorities reaffirmed their dedication to combating crime and ensuring regional security, urging residents to continue cooperating with law enforcement efforts.
The stiff sentence comes as Ghana’s justice system clamps down on violent robberies, particularly those involving youth offenders. Police forensic teams reportedly used mobile phone tracking and witness testimonies to build their case against Hamidu, whose accomplice remains at large.
The Ghana Police Service has dismantled a kidnapping operation to rescue 25 individuals, including six females from an apartment at Effiakuma in the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipality of the Western Region.
The raid was initiated after one of the victims reportedly escaped to report the suspected kidnapping syndicate to authorities.
According to 3news.com report on June 2,2025, the raid was conducted on June 1, 2025, after a male victim in his late twenties escaped to seek help from Effiakuma Zongo in Takoradi.
The victim believed to be a national of Côte d’Ivoire, appeared starved and traumatised.
The man, who reportedly spoke only French, struggled to communicate with locals until a young man named Abdul Ganiyu was called to translate his narration.
According to the narration, the escapee and his wife had been lured by what appeared to be a fraudulent recruitment scheme and were held against their will.
The translator, Ganiyu, contacted the Assembly Member of Effiakuma who with the support of local residents organised a rescue team.
Guided by the escapee, the team proceeded to an eight-bedroom apartment near the Takoradi Technical University main campus.
They forcefully broke into the firmly secured doors to find several individuals, numbering about twenty-five, locked inside the facility.
The unfurnished room had just a luggage, talisman, and other voodoo artifacts.
In a disturbing development, neighbours who rushed to the scene said that they had not seen any unusual activity in the apartment prior to the incident.
While the identities of the victims are still being verified, preliminary information suggests they are from neighboring Côte d’Ivoire.
Investigations by police led to the arrest of five suspects, (four men and one woman) who have since been detained for further questioning.
Assembly Member for Effiakuma Zongo, Hamza Mohammed Ameen Adam said that he personally arranged food and basic care for some of the victims due to their distraught condition.
“The situation was quite alarming. Many of them looked traumatised and hadn’t eaten properly in days,” Adam said.
Authorities are yet to identify the owner of the apartment where the victims were being held captives.
The police have however indicated that investigations are ongoing to determine the full scope of the operation and apprehend other accomplices linked to the kidnapping.
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