Emmanuel Akpatsa was convicted after the court found him guilty at the end of the trial. 

The prosecution, led by Inspector Priscilla Avorgah, told the court that Akpatsa entered the house of his former employer, Mr Callistus Mahama, at Okpoi Gonno, off the Spintex Road, armed with a kitchen knife and demanded a motorbike. 

Akpatsa had pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful entry and attempt to commit robbery. 

The prosecution called four witnesses to establish its case. 

The court heard that the complainant, Gabriel Djanfosu, 29, a houseboy and driver, was at the residence with three others when Akpatsa allegedly entered the premises at about 0100 hours on May 24, 2025. 

The prosecution said Akpatsa pulled a kitchen knife and demanded that Djanfosu release a Sonlink motorbike with registration number M-25-GR 5034 to him. 

The prosecution said Akpatsa was overpowered and taken to the Police station, where the knife was retrieved and he was detained for further investigations. 

It said investigations established that Akpatsa had previously worked as a driver at the residence but quit his job and was paid GH¢10,000 as compensation before leaving on January 22, 2025. 

The prosecution said Akpatsa returned to Accra from Kpando, his hometown, on May 23, 2025, at about 2100 hours and went to a drinking spot at Martey-Tsuru, where he obtained a kitchen knife from one Richard Ampiah. 

At about midnight on May 24, Akpatsa went to Oasis Estate, where the complainant resided, and entered an abandoned house adjacent to the residence to avoid detection by a CCTV camera. 

He allegedly scaled the wall into Mr Mahama’s house and, after gaining access, armed himself with the knife and demanded that Djanfosu release the motorbike to him. 

The prosecution said Djanfosu sensed danger and pretended to step outside to urinate before retrieving a cutlass and calling for help. 

A security guard and a Police officer responded to the call and assisted in arresting Akpatsa before handing him over to the Police at Manet for investigation. 

The prosecution said Akpatsa admitted the offence in his statement to the Police. 

Akpatsa, who was a driver and resident of the Volta Region, was subsequently charged with unlawful entry and attempt to commit robbery. 

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Thomas Dorkenu, 60, is alleged to have collected the money from the applicants on the pretext of securing their enlistment into the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) through protocol allocation. 

Dorkenu, who appeared before the court for the second time, pleaded not guilty to a charge of defrauding by false pretences. 

He was granted bail with two sureties, and the case was adjourned to September 24, 2026. 

The prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye, opposed the application for bail and requested an additional two weeks to complete the investigation. 

The prosecution said investigations were at an advanced stage and that Dorkenu, having served in the GNFS for many years, knew that 60 protocol slots could not be allocated to one person. 

The prosecutor also argued that Dorkenu was a flight risk, saying, “he is now staying in the Volta Region where he allegedly collected the amount involved.” 

Defence Counsel, however, urged the court to grant bail, saying Dorkenu had been in Police custody since his arrest on July 28, 2026. 

Counsel said Dorkenu was first put before the court on August 3, 2026, and remanded into lawful custody. 

He described the facts presented by the prosecution as “fanciful and full of allegations” and disputed the assertion that Dorkenu lived at Ashongman Estates. 

“It is not true that the accused person resides in the Volta Region. He lives at Ashongman Estates. He just retired from the Ghana National Fire Service, and he would not like to jeopardise his pension after serving Ghana well over the years.” 

The prosecution said the complainant was the Chief Fire Officer of the GNFS, while Dorkenu resided at Ashongman Estates. 

It said one of the alleged victims, Eyram Davordzi-Banini, a midwife resident in Akatsi, was approached by Dorkenu on February 9, 2026. 

The prosecution said Dorkenu told Eyram that he had secured enlistment slots from the complainant and asked her to mobilise prospective applicants for recruitment into the GNFS. 

The prosecution said Eyram mobilised 60 applicants and, on their behalf, paid GH¢303,200 to Dorkenu. 

The amount was allegedly represented as the approved fee for protocol charges fixed by the complainant. 

The prosecution said Dorkenu subsequently issued purported appointment letters to the applicants, directing them to report for training on July 23, 2026. 

When the applicants reported to the GNFS Training School, however, they were informed that the appointment letters were fake. 

The applicants subsequently went to the office of the Chief Fire Officer to complain, where it emerged that they had allegedly been defrauded. 

The prosecution said Dorkenu was arrested by the complainant and handed over to the Police together with a Techno Spark C30 smartphone believed to have been used in the alleged offence. 

It said a caution statement was obtained from Dorkenu in the presence of an independent witness, during which he admitted the offence and claimed that he was also a victim of a scam scheme allegedly involving a Telecel number. 

The prosecution said the phone had been forwarded for digital forensic examination, while the Police were pursuing the user of the Telecel number. 

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According to information gathered, the suspect, popularly known as Kwabena Jack, believed to be in his 50s, allegedly attacked and killed his wife, Abena Donkor, while the couple were working on their farm on Monday, August 11, 2026. 

Mr Kingsley Obah, Assembly Member for the Brodi Electoral Area, confirmed the incident to the GNA. 

He explained that after news of the woman’s death spread through the community, residents launched a search for the suspect. His lifeless body was later discovered in a nearby bush on Tuesday, August 12, 2026. 

Police have since conveyed both bodies to the Tain District Government Hospital, where they have been deposited for preservation and autopsy. 

Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

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Michael Okyere, the convict, pleaded not guilty to the charge but was convicted after a full trial presided over by Jephthar Appau. 

Police Chief Inspector David Opoku Kwabi, presenting the facts to the court, said the complainant, Ms Salomey Ametefe Enyonam, was an attendant at Kingsley Nsiah Chemist at Atwima Techiman, while the convict loitered around Denchemuoso. 

He said on January 22, 2025, at about 0900 hours, the complainant reported for duty and about 15 minutes later, Okyere entered the shop and requested to see the doctor in charge. 

According to the prosecution, the complainant asked him to wait while she called the doctor. 

However, Okyere became aggressive, pushed her against a refrigerator in the office, forcibly took her iPhone 11 mobile phone valued at GH¢4,500.00 and fled. 

The prosecution said the complainant raised an alarm, prompting some youths in the area to pursue and arrest the convict before handing him over to the Denchemuoso Police. 

In his caution statement, Okyere admitted the offence and pleaded for leniency. 

Following investigations, he was charged and arraigned before the court, which found him guilty after a full trial and sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment. 

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The accused persons are Gilano Jorgino Holwin, a Dutch security guard; Alhaji Iddrisu Haruna, a 56-year-old transporter; and John Mensah Sarbah, a 41-year-old clearing agent.

The court, presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah, remanded them into lawful custody after their lawyers’ bail applications were refused.

They have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit unlawful control of narcotic drugs, unlawful control of narcotic drugs, and prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs.

The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Haligah, opposed the bail applications, saying investigations were underway and urged the court to consider the charges against the accused persons.

ASP Haligah told the court that Holwin was a resident of Cantonments, while Haruna and Sarbah were residents of North Legon and Nungua, respectively.

The prosecutor said  the complainants, who are Police Officers, were stationed at the Tema Regional Criminal Investigations Department.

The prosecution said that on August 5, 2026, at about 1930 hours, the complainants, acting on intelligence, proceeded to the Golden Suvineur warehouse at the Main Harbour in Tema, where they arrested the accused persons over alleged narcotic drug activities.

The court heard that the accused persons were found loading white sacks of gari and cassava powder from the warehouse at the Main Harbour into a DAF truck with registration number WR 1118-10.

Upon inspection, the prosecution said 869 slabs of substances suspected to be narcotics were found concealed in the bags of gari and cassava powder.

During interrogation, the prosecution said Holwin admitted ownership and indicated that Haruna and Sarbah were assisting him to export the drugs to London, UK.

The prosecution said the exhibits had been forwarded to the Forensic Science Laboratory for examination and compilation of a report.

The prosecutor informed the court that investigations were underway.

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Simon Levy killed Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, 53, in March 2025 and 39-year-old Sheryl Wilkins five months later.

The 40-year-old man also raped a third woman in January 2025, before the murders, in the same Tottenham car park where Wilkins was later found dead.

During his trial at the Old Bailey, jurors heard Levy had a string of convictions for attacking women dating back to July 2018, including one carried out against a prison officer in 2022.

The court heard how Levy, from Tottenham, targeted the three vulnerable women, all of whom carried out street sex work in order to fund drug addictions.

He declined to give evidence during his trial but pleaded not guilty to the two murders, as well as two counts of rape, grievous bodily harm with intent, and non-fatal suffocation against the surviving woman.

The jury, which was given a majority direction in the trial, found him guilty of all charges after 13 hours of deliberation.

Members of the victims’ families wept as the verdicts were returned while the defendant, who had a pointed beard and was wearing sunglasses, gave no reaction.

In court, judge Mark Lucraft KC adjourned sentencing until Wednesday 12 August and remanded Levy into custody.

‘Devastating harm’

The Met, British Transport Police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have all admitted failings in how they dealt with Levy, who was on bail as his attacks on women escalated to double murder.

London’s Victims’ Commissioner, Andrea Simon, said she was “appalled by the litany of failures to manage a prolific offender like Levy”.

She told BBC News: “I’m keen now to see how we can uncover every key moment when there was an opportunity to assess the harm Levy posed to women by every justice agency involved, not just the police, and every critical opportunity there was to intervene.”

Crime and Policing Minister, Sarah Jones, said: “The fact that Levy was able to inflict such devastating harm after being freed by police and the courts is deeply concerning.

“It raises serious questions that require urgent answers.”

She said that failures must be identified so they are not repeated.

Helena Croft, the chief executive officer of StreetlightUK charity, said this case “demonstrated the need to treat women involved in the sex industry as women at risk of serious violence”.

She said there were “missed opportunities around listening to frontline services, information sharing, and making full use of specialist organisations that had established relationships with the women most at risk”.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed to the BBC that it believed Wilkins’ death could have been avoided had there not been multiple points of failure in the handling of Levy.

The Met failed to treat Valencia-Trujillo’s death as a murder, despite arresting Levy soon afterwards and finding his DNA on her body, until after Levy killed again.

In February, Levy was convicted of sexually assaulting 10 women on London’s Tubes and trains, as well as a female prison officer in HMP Brixton, with details of that trial now reportable for the first time.

‘Deeply disturbing’

Speaking after the verdicts were given, Det Ch Insp Neil John from the Met said: “Simon Levy is a dangerous and predatory offender.

“His crimes were calculated, cruel and deeply disturbing. Throughout the trial, he has shown complete disregard for the victims and victim-survivor, despite being fully aware of the lasting and devastating impact of his actions.”

He described the investigation as “complex and challenging” but said “my team and I have been steadfast in our professionalism and dedication”.

Standing alongside Wilkins’ two sisters and Valencia-Trujillo’s daughter, he asked for any other victim-survivors of Levy to come forward.

Valencia-Trujillo’s children said she was a “big character” who was “full of life” and was said to be a “much-loved” member of the community with a love of salsa dancing.

Wilkins’ family said she was a much-loved woman who is missed every day by those who knew her.

The Met said since the launch of the investigation, detectives had exhausted numerous lines of enquiry – including working with coroners – to identify whether Levy was responsible for any similar, unsolved incidents, including deaths.

Police have said while they are yet to find anything new on Levy, they emphasised they had significantly strengthened their training and response to violence against women and girls, along with their specialist victim support services.

Two Met officers are under investigation by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) for their decision in August 2024 to downgrade Levy from a high-risk sex offender to a medium-risk.

A police constable had been served with a gross misconduct notice and a detective sergeant with a misconduct notice.

The IOPC said it would be investigating how Levy was managed from his first conviction in September 2021 up to his arrest in September 2025.

“We are examining whether action could or should have been taken to prevent his reoffending, and if all officers involved in his management followed policies, procedures, and training.”

The IOPC stressed that the notices indicated the officers’ actions were under investigation and did not mean disciplinary proceedings would follow.

The investigation will also consider whether any lessons can be learned or changes introduced at an individual, force-wide or national level.

The British Transport Police (BTP) said that two of its officers have been moved to other roles due to their “incompetence” in handling the case.

BTP Assistant Chief Constable Charlie Doyle said: “It is clear that opportunities to expedite the investigation were missed and we have amended our procedures to address these issues to ensure that repeat offenders are dealt with expeditiously, and that linked offences are prioritised more effectively.”

Lisa Ramsarran, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS, said: “Our actions fell short of the standards that victims, families and the public are entitled to expect.

“In particular, there were points where we could and should have taken a more robust approach to representations about bail, based on the information available.

“We cannot know what decisions the courts would have made had different or stronger representations been advanced. But we recognise our responsibility and we are sorry for the shortcomings we have identified.”

‘Significant pressure’

Ramsarran said the cases had been handled against a backdrop of significant pressure on the criminal justice system, including busy court lists, late or incomplete information, and the need for agencies to make decisions quickly.

While that did not lessen responsibility for the failings, she said it was important to understand the circumstances in which they had occurred.

She said measures were being introduced to strengthen training, improve oversight of cases and enhance the handling of bail and risk assessments in serious sexual offence investigations.

Levy had attacked the three women while on bail for sex assaults on trains in London, and went on to carry out further assaults on public transport.

Ramsarran explained how Levy was convicted in February of sexually assaulting 10 women on London’s Tubes and trains.

She added: “Nothing can undo the harm caused, but we hope these convictions provide some measure of justice.”

Tube assaults conviction

Earlier this year, Levy, 40, was found guilty by a jury at Inner London Crown Court of groping 10 women on the Tube and an 11th while in prison.

Details of this trial can now be reported after his conviction at the Old Bailey.

The offences took place between April 2022 at the prison, followed by the Tube assaults between 24 October 2023 and May 2025.

He had already been convicted of sexually assaulting two women in 2018, which was why he was in prison in 2022.

The sex offender had lost sight in one eye in an attack in May 2024 and played on this, claiming that his partial sight made him unsteady on his feet and all contact was accidental on these crowded trains.

Levy’s tactic was to tie a jumper or hoodie around his waist, strap his arm down, and then back towards his victim with his hand fully or partially covered so he could grope them.

One of the Tube assault victims told the court: “It wasn’t long before I learned that my attacker was already known to the police for sexual violence and is a convicted sex offender.

“You could not begin to understand the horror I felt at hearing this.

“How could a male who does this so often and so brazenly be allowed to repeat his attacks?

“Knowing this made me feel even more unsafe, the possibility that I could encounter Simon Levy again made me fearful and the idea that he would harm more women and that there would be many more victims was unthinkable.”

During the sentencing hearing in June for the Tube attacks, Judge Michael Evans told Levy : “You were on the Tube for one purpose only, to sexually assault women.”

Levy was convicted of 11 counts of indecent assault, including grabbing the prison guard in 2022, and given an extended sentence consisting of a six-year jail term plus a three-year period on licence.

Berko, 52, a dual US-Ghana citizen, was found guilty of conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, violating the Act itself, and conspiring to launder money. The verdict came after a nine-day trial before US District Judge Diane Gujarati. He faces up to 30 years in prison at sentencing and remains in custody until then.

Prosecutors said Berko and his associates paid Ghanaian government officials more than $1 million in bribes about a decade ago to secure approval for the development and financing of a power plant expected to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in profits.

How the scheme unfolded

According to trial evidence, Berko took charge of the deal in December 2014 while serving as an executive director in Goldman Sachs’ investment banking division. His task was to broker an agreement between Ghana and Aksa Enerji Uretim A.S., a Turkish energy firm and Goldman client, for the plant’s construction, at a time when Ghana faced a severe energy crisis.

To win the bid for Aksa, Berko and his co-conspirators allegedly paid off officials at multiple levels of government. In April 2015, they discussed a $1 million payment to Ghana’s power minister, who controlled key approvals, and $250,000 to his senior adviser. Officials also received bribes during an all-expenses-paid trip to Turkey to inspect equipment for the plant.

Ghana’s parliament ratified the deal in July 2015. The following month, the conspirators discussed a further $250,000 in payments, including $46,000 that Berko himself allegedly paid to members of parliament. Prosecutors said one recipient described awaiting the money as waiting for “holy rain.”

Berko concealed the scheme from Goldman’s compliance team and used a personal email account, rather than his work address, to coordinate the payments, instructing his associates to do the same, prosecutors said. The bribes were reportedly funnelled through shell companies, fake invoices, and cash withdrawals, laundered via both US and foreign bank accounts. Goldman later pulled out of the deal over corruption concerns.

International cooperation secured the arrest

US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. credited the UK government, INTERPOL’s UK bureau, the US Embassy in London, and the US Marshals Service with helping secure Berko’s arrest and extradition. Nocella said the case reflected the office’s push against corruption, while the Justice Department’s Tysen Duva said the conviction sent a message to those who undermine fair competition by bribing foreign officials.

The prosecution was led by the Eastern District of New York’s Business and Securities Fraud Section and the Justice Department’s Fraud Section.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at about 8:00 p.m., when armed men reportedly attacked a mobile money vendor at Fiapre.

According to the police, officers responded to a distress call but the suspects had fled the scene before they arrived.

The mobile money vendor, Amina Abu, 30, and three others — Khadija Abu, 23; Anifa Tanko, 24; and Ibrahim Osei, 40 — sustained gunshot injuries after being hit by pellets during the attack.

Police also found an unidentified man wearing a black mask behind Ibrahim Osei’s house with severe injuries.

All five victims were rushed to the Bono Regional Teaching Hospital for treatment. However, Ibrahim Osei was pronounced dead on arrival, while the unidentified man later died while receiving medical care.

Preliminary police investigations indicate that the suspects made away with GH¢30,000 belonging to Amina Abu before fleeing the scene.

Police recovered six spent BB cartridges from the scene, which have been retained as exhibits for forensic examination.

Further investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly disembarked from a cattle truck travelling towards Berekum to carry out the robbery.

The Twumasikrom Police checkpoint was immediately alerted to intercept two cattle trucks travelling on the route, leading to the arrest of nine suspects who are currently assisting with investigations.

The suspects are expected to be processed for court as investigations continue.

The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the hospital mortuary for preservation, identification and autopsy.

The Bono Regional Police Command said efforts are underway to arrest other suspects believed to be on the run and assured the public that everyone found culpable will be brought to justice.

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Opoku was convicted on Thursday, August 6, 2026, on charges of Conspiracy to Commit Crime and Robbery contrary to Sections 23(1) and 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

The prosecution told the court that on June 12, 2026, at about 12:15 am, Opoku and another suspect, Agye Nyame, who is now on the run, attacked Divine Adu Boaheng near Kokofu Nursing Training School while he was returning from Bedomaise.

The court heard that the accused, armed with a single-barreled gun, robbed the victim of an Infinix Smart 6 valued at GHC 1,400.00 and GHC 400.00 in cash.

Police arrested Opoku on June 18, 2026, at Kokofu Lorry Station after he was identified by the complainant. The stolen phone was retrieved, and Opoku admitted the offence in his caution statement.

Presiding Judge, His Honour Issac Appiatu, handed down the 15-year sentence. Police say efforts are ongoing to arrest the second suspect, Agye Nyame.

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The accused, Alexander Adusei Gyan, allegedly collected the amount after promising to assist the complainant to secure a GH¢3 million loan facility.

The prosecution told the court that the complainant, a businessman residing at Ofankor in the Ga North Municipality, was deceived into making payments to Gyan, who is unemployed and lives at Ablekuma, Accra.

The prosecution said in October 2024, Gyan presented himself as a staff of a reputable bank and assured the complainant that he could secure the loan if contributions of GH¢2,000 to GH¢10,000 were deposited over one year.

Based on this representation, the complainant made payments totalling GH¢1,860,000 through a mobile money account bearing Gyan’s name, with receipts acknowledged each time.

The prosecution said Gyan later instructed the complainant to open an account at the bank’s Achimota branch, but after receiving the money, blocked all communication and went into hiding.

The complainant reported the matter to police, leading to Gyan’s arrest.

In his caution statement, Gyan admitted the offence and mentioned an accomplice, Desmond Osei, but failed to lead investigators to him.

Charged with defrauding by false pretences, Gyan pleaded not guilty.

The court initially admitted him to bail in the sum of GH¢2 million with three sureties, one justified with landed property and two public servants earning GH¢5,000 monthly.

Unable to meet the conditions, his counsel applied for a review.

The court reduced the bail to GH¢500,000 with two sureties, one justified with property and the other a public servant earning GH¢4,000 monthly.

The sureties were ordered to deposit copies of their Ghana Cards at the court registry. 

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The conviction was secured by the Volta North Regional Police Command after the woman pleaded guilty to the offence before the Kpando Circuit Court.

The incident occurred on July 17, 2026, when the baby’s mother, Gloria Xagbe, 21, reported to the Police that she had briefly left her eight-month-old son in the care of Amedzorme, a fellow market trader, while she went to purchase packaging bags.

However, upon returning, the mother discovered that both the woman and her child were missing.

The Police launched investigations and, through intelligence-led operations, arrested Amedzorme the following day at Toviate, a suburb of Kwamekrom in the Oti Region.

The baby was successfully rescued unharmed and reunited with family.

During investigations, Amedzorme reportedly admitted taking the child, claiming she acted on the instructions of her fiancé, who is currently on the run.

She was initially arraigned before the Kpando Circuit Court on July 20, 2026, and remanded into Police custody.

She later appeared before the court on August 3, 2026, where she pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in prison.

The Police say efforts are ongoing to locate and arrest her fiancé to assist with further investigations.

The Volta North Regional Police Command has urged parents and guardians to exercise caution when leaving children in the care of others, stressing the need for vigilance in protecting children from potential harm.

The incident occurred on Wednesday evening between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., causing panic among residents and prompting a swift response from the police.

Information gathered by Adom News indicates that the mobile money (MoMo) vendor targeted in the attack survived the incident.

She sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder and is currently receiving treatment at a health facility.

The deceased, whose identity has not yet been officially disclosed, is believed to have lived a few houses away from the scene.

Preliminary reports suggest that he stepped outside after hearing gunshots to find out what was happening, but reportedly encountered the suspected robbers and was shot in the head. He later died from his injuries.

Three other people, including the MoMo vendor, sustained gunshot wounds during the attack and are receiving medical attention. Their conditions remain unknown.

One of the suspected robbers was arrested while attempting to escape from the scene. Eyewitnesses said the suspect was injured after being impaled by an iron rod while trying to climb through an uncompleted building.

The injured suspect was arrested by officers from the Sunyani West Police Command and taken to a medical facility, where he is currently receiving treatment under police guard.

Police have visited the crime scene and commenced investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and apprehend other suspects believed to have fled.

The Ghana Police Service has appealed to residents to provide credible information that could assist investigations and help in the arrest of the remaining suspects.

The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of mobile money operators and residents in the municipality, with calls for increased security patrols in communities.

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Her conviction followed a full trial, with the seven-member jury returning a 5-2 majority verdict, which is sufficient under Section 46 of Act 29, as amended by the Criminal and Other Offences (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 1101).

The convict was charged with murder of her husband, Kweku Gyasi, with whom she had two children, following a misunderstanding in 2021.

Prosecution, led by Christabel Selma Anafure, a Senior State Attorney, called three witnesses, while the convict, Lydia Aboagye, led by Rita Kunkuti Ali, testified herself and called her mother as her only witness.

After the full trial, the jury found her guilty of murder, returning a 5-2 majority verdict before Her Ladyship Justice Marie-Louise Simmons convicted her.

On July 30, a day before the legal vacation, Justice Simmons summed up the case for the jury, who returned their verdict after 39 minutes of deliberation.

The forelady said they had reached a verdict, and their decision was 5-2 guilty against Lydia Aboagye.

The convict, who was given an opportunity to address the court prior to sentencing, said, “I have nothing to say.”

Passing sentence, Justice Simmons said, “With the jury having returned a majority verdict of 5-2 of guilty, the accused is hereby convicted under Section 46 of Act 29, as amended by the Criminal and Other Offences (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 1101).”

“She is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment,” the Court pronounced, adding that, “The accused (convict) and her counsel have one month from today (July 30, 2026) within which to file an appeal to the Court of Appeal.”

Brief Facts

Per the brief facts of the case, the complainant is a driver’s mate and owns a property at Omanjor-Dwenewoho, adjacent to California School.

The accused person, Lydia Aboagye, is a petty trader and one of the tenants in the complainant’s house.

She lived in a single room with her husband, Kweku Gyasi (now deceased), and their two children.

On November 3, 2021, at about 4:30 a.m., a misunderstanding ensued between the accused person and the deceased, and in the course of the quarrel, the accused picked a broken Coca-Cola bottle and stabbed the deceased in the left rib.

“When blood started oozing from the stabbed wound, she rushed out and locked the wounded and bleeding deceased in the room,” the facts stated.

The accused then ran about 150 metres away from their residence and disposed of the broken Coca-Cola bottle she used in stabbing the deceased in the bush.

Fortunately, at about 5:30 a.m. that morning, the complainant, who is a Muslim, had just finished his morning prayer (Fajr) when his daughter approached him and informed him that she heard an unusual noise from the accused person’s room while sweeping the compound.

On hearing this, the complainant went to the accused person’s door and realised it was locked.

He forced the door open and found the deceased lying in a pool of blood.

The complainant called for assistance from other tenants and neighbours and rushed the deceased to the Ga West Municipal Hospital (known as Amasaman Government Hospital).

The medical officer on duty pronounced the deceased dead on arrival.

The body was conveyed to the Police Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy. The accused person returned home later and started cleaning the pool of blood on the floor with a cloth.

While doing so, neighbours arrested her on sight and handed her over to the police.

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According to the Police, the incident was reported by the hotel’s management on Monday, August 3, 2026, after the two women, believed to be nationals of Benin, were found unresponsive in their room.

In a statement, the Police said the bodies had been conveyed to the Tamale Teaching Hospital Mortuary for preservation and a post-mortem examination.

“The bodies were subsequently conveyed to the Tamale Teaching Hospital Mortuary for preservation and a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death,” the Police stated.

To support the investigation, the Inspector-General of Police has deployed a special team from the Police Headquarters, comprising investigators, intelligence officers, and crime scene experts, to work with the Northern Regional Police Command.

The Police are also appealing to the public to provide any information that could assist in establishing the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

“Members of the public with credible information on the incident are encouraged to call the Police Emergency Numbers, 191/18555, or report to the nearest Police Station,” the statement said.

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Read the full statement below:

The clashes which is linked to a dispute over a parcel of land claimed by both communities, left one person dead and six others injured.

The arrests form part of ongoing efforts by security agencies to identify those involved in the violence and prevent further escalation.

The development comes as the Sagnarigu Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) has imposed an indefinite dusk-to-dawn curfew on Damankungyili, Nyeshie and adjoining communities.

Under the directive, residents must remain indoors between 5pm and 7am daily, effective Tuesday, August 4, 2026, until further notice.

MUSEC has also banned the carrying of firearms, ammunition and other weapons within the affected communities, while security agencies have intensified joint patrols to enforce the restrictions and maintain order.

The decision followed an emergency meeting with the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to assess the security situation after the clashes.

MUSEC Chairman and Sagnarigu Municipal Chief Executive, Abdulai Imoro Gong, condemned the violence and appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies.

He also urged anyone with information that could assist police investigations to come forward, and called on chiefs, youth leaders and the media to support efforts to de-escalate tensions between the two communities.

MUSEC says it will continue to monitor the situation and review the security measures as developments unfold.

The suspect, Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng, is accused of defrauding women through false marriage promises and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

A Police statement issued on Monday said preliminary investigations indicated that Kwarteng posed as a pastor conducting online church services on Instagram, where he allegedly targeted women and claimed that God had revealed they were his future wives.

The statement said he allegedly gained the trust of the victims by meeting their families and presenting them with promise rings.

It added that the suspect obtained intimate images of some victims and allegedly used them to blackmail them into paying money.

According to the Police, Kwarteng also introduced some victims to a fictitious car tyre business and collected thousands of dollars from them under the pretext of shipping and clearing containers of tyres, after which he allegedly became unreachable.

Further investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly shared the intimate images of some victims with his wife, Sally Akosua Amoasah, who is also accused of threatening the victims.

The statement said seven victims had so far reported the matter to the Police, with investigations indicating that the alleged offences date back to 2021.

Kwarteng and Amoasah have been arraigned before the Accra Circuit Court One on charges of conspiracy to commit crime, namely defrauding by false pretences, defrauding by false pretences, and non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

The court remanded Kwarteng into Police custody to reappear on August 6, while Amoasah was granted bail.

The Ghana Police Service said it continues to receive complaints from other possible victims and urged anyone who may have experienced similar incidents involving the suspect to report to the nearest Police station to assist ongoing investigations.

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43-year-old Nana Takyiwa Adonu, who lived in Odenton, Maryland, was sentenced by a US District Court in the Southern District of Iowa on July 22, 2026.

According to court documents, Adonu played a major role in an extensive romance scam in which fraudsters created fake profiles on dating sites and social media to swindle victims.

She ran a company called “Han-Dak LLC,” which was used to collect payments from victims. She received more than $1.6 million in total, including over $55,000 from a single victim in Iowa.

Investigators say victims sent the money believing it would help reunite them with people they had met online and believed to be romantic partners.

“Many victims drained their retirement accounts, sold their homes and vehicles, returned to work after retirement, and borrowed substantial sums from friends and family,” prosecutors said.

When the FBI questioned her, Adonu claimed Han-Dak LLC was a legitimate garment-production business operating in China. She later submitted false invoices and fabricated customer and vendor lists to a federal grand jury in an attempt to derail the investigation, according to court filings.

In addition to the prison term, she was ordered to pay $1,655,640.76 in restitution and will serve three years of supervised release upon completing her sentence.

Her co-defendant, Naabanyin Aniagyei-Cobbold, was sentenced in March 2026 to nine years in prison over the same scheme, along with an order to pay $1,554,442.46 in restitution.

FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel, in a statement, said romance scammers exploit victims when they are most vulnerable, preying on people by convincing them a relationship is real and then abusing that trust to steal their savings.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Omaha Cyber Task Force and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Joseph Lubben.

The FBI reports that about 59,000 Americans fell victim to romance scams in 2024 alone, losing over $672 million.

The jury said Safina Adizatu Mohammed could see the faces of the other jury members, but they could not see her face because of the nose mask. 

Nana Ama Adinkrah, a Senior State Attorney, indicated that the jury’s concerns were reasonable when the matter was raised during proceedings on Monday. 

Safina’s counsel, however, explained that she was wearing the nose mask because she was unwell. 

The trial judge subsequently directed Safina to remove the nose mask whenever she entered the dock and put it on again afterwards. 

Safina is standing trial for the alleged murder of her boyfriend, Frank Kofi Osei, a 37-year-old Ghanaian resident in Canada.  

She has pleaded not guilty to the charge. 

At Monday’s sitting, lawyers for the prosecution and the accused persons delivered their opening addresses. 

The Senior State Attorney told the court that the prosecution would call nine witnesses, including Safina’s former lover and expert witnesses, to support its case. 

She said the prosecution would seek to prove the five elements of murder, namely that Frank Kofi Osei died, that his death was caused by unlawful harm, that the unlawful harm was caused by Safina, and that the act was intentional. 

“The prosecution’s duty was to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt,” Nana Ama Adinkrah said. 

She told the jury that Osei was a Ghanaian resident in Canada, while Safina was a first-year Biological Science student at the University of Ghana, Legon, at the time of the incident. 

The prosecution said the two were in an amorous relationship before Osei’s death. 

According to the State, on July 26, 2022, at about 0500 hours, police at Lakeside Estate, Ashaley Botwe, received a call from Safina, who reported that she and Osei had a misunderstanding while at her apartment at Ashaley Botwe, School Junction. 

The prosecution said a struggle ensued during the misunderstanding and Osei died. 

A police patrol team was subsequently dispatched to the scene, where officers found an unregistered white Toyota Tundra pickup parked at the entrance of the apartment building.  

Investigations later established that the vehicle belonged to the deceased. 

The prosecution said the naked body of Osei was found on the ground near the driver’s door of the pickup in a prone position, with multiple stab wounds on his upper torso. 

The State further told the court that although Safina’s apartment had been cleaned, police found blood stains on the walls and traces of blood on the floor, suggesting that the deceased had been dragged from the apartment. 

The prosecution said Safina was not at the apartment when the police arrived and was later traced to Obinim Junction, Ashaley Botwe, where she was arrested. 

The court heard that during interrogation, Safina initially stated that on July 25, 2022, at about 0100 hours, she stabbed Osei during a misunderstanding in her apartment. 

The prosecution said she later changed her account, stating that she had left Osei in the apartment and returned to find him dead. 

It said police investigations led to the recovery of the knife allegedly used in the stabbing from Safina’s apartment. 

The prosecution further alleged that after the incident, Safina contacted her other boyfriend, Michael Fiifi Ampofo Arku, in Kumasi, who travelled to Accra the following day. 

It said Arku assisted Safina in moving Osei’s body from the apartment on the top floor of the building to the pickup parked at the entrance. 

The prosecution said Safina gave Arku a bag containing items belonging to Osei and other materials, which she wanted disposed of. 

It said Arku kept the bag and returned to Kumasi. 

The State told the court that the bag contained blood-stained items, including personal effects belonging to Osei and Safina. 

The prosecution listed the items as five large chains also known as bondage chains commonly used for “kinky sex”, four cello tapes, a black ring, necklace, four padlocks, five keys, two boxer shorts, one ladies leggings, three ladies’ tops/dresses, a pair of blue jeans trousers, a blue T-shirt, and black and red sneaker footwear. 

The prosecution said Arku was later arrested by the police and during interrogation provided an alibi, indicating that he was not present when Osei was killed. 

The State said Arku led police to retrieve the bag and investigations into his alibi showed that he was not in Accra at the time of the incident. 

The court heard that police retrieved the knife allegedly used in the stabbing, large chains and a blood-stained dress belonging to Safina from the crime scene. 

An autopsy conducted at the Police Hospital stated the cause of Osei’s death as haemorrhagic shock, severe neck injury and stabbing. 

Defence counsel urged the jury to return a verdict of not guilty at the end of the trial, saying the evidence would establish Safina’s innocence. 

The case has been adjourned to October 19, 2026. 

Also read:

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• Court issues bench warrant for arrest of student charged over boyfriend’s murder

According to information gathered by Adom News, six heavily armed men stormed the community and carried out a series of coordinated robberies, targeting mobile money vendors, shops, drivers and commuters.

The suspects reportedly robbed three MoMo vendors of undisclosed sums of money.

They also attempted to attack a filling station, but workers managed to flee before the robbers could carry out their plan.

An eyewitness, Kojo Assan, told Adom News that residents were alerted after reports emerged that armed robbers had invaded the town and were attacking MoMo vendors, businesses, motorists and passers-by.

He said the suspects later moved towards Kwanyarko, where they mounted a roadblock on the Bawjiase–Swedru Road and robbed commuters at gunpoint.

“The whole town was thrown into panic. People were running in different directions. Some fled into nearby bushes, while others hid in the cemetery because of the continuous gunfire,” he recounted.

The attack has left residents living in fear, with many calling on the Ghana Police Service to strengthen security in the area.

They appealed to the police to arrest the perpetrators, restore calm and protect lives and property.

The injured MoMo vendor is receiving treatment at a health facility, while police are expected to launch investigations into the incident.

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The convict, Kwame Ti-Zaaekuu, was found guilty of incest and threat of death after a full trial.

According to a statement issued by the Upper West Regional Police Command, investigations by the Lawra District Police established that the victim, a Junior High School student, had been subjected to repeated sexual abuse by her father.

Police said the convict allegedly threatened to kill the teenager if she disclosed the abuse to anyone.

Following investigations and prosecution, the Lawra Circuit Court, presided over by His Honour Stanley Adjei, on Friday, July 24, 2026, found Kwame Ti-Zaaekuu guilty of both offences.

The court sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for incest and an additional 10 years for threat of death. The sentences are to run concurrently, meaning he will serve 20 years in prison.

The court also directed the Department of Social Welfare in Lawra to provide counselling and psychosocial support to the survivor.

The Upper West Regional Police Command commended the investigators and prosecutor for their professionalism in securing the conviction.

The Command further urged the public to promptly report all forms of sexual abuse, domestic violence and related offences to the police to ensure victims receive protection and perpetrators are brought to justice.

The convict, Elyasu Kunateh, was found guilty after a full trial and sentenced on Thursday, July 23, 2026, by His Lordship Justice Osei-Wusu Antwi.

According to a statement issued by the Upper West Regional Police Command, the incident was reported by the victim’s mother after the alleged abuse occurred on Saturday, January 17, 2026.

Police arrested Kunateh on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, following the report.

The Regional Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) immediately commenced investigations into the case and referred the victim to a medical facility for examination while also providing psychosocial support.

The accused was subsequently arraigned before the Wa High Court and remanded into police custody pending the conclusion of the trial.

Following months of court proceedings, the court found Kunateh guilty of the offence and sentenced him to 10 years in prison with hard labour.

The Upper West Regional Police Command has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and ensuring that perpetrators of child abuse and sexual and gender-based violence are brought to justice.

The Command also urged parents, guardians, caregivers and members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspected cases of abuse to the nearest police station for immediate action.

The incident occurred at about 00:00 hours on Saturday and has triggered a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the unidentified man.

A report by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) indicated that the deceased was allegedly caught on the farmer’s land while attempting to steal a sack of yams. However, the farmer allegedly opened fire, killing the suspect instantly.

The farmer had repeatedly complained about persistent theft of food crops from his farm and had, on several occasions, reported the matter to the police.

The GNA also gathered that shortly after the incident, the farmer voluntarily reported himself to the Dambai Divisional Police Command and informed officers about the shooting.

He was subsequently arrested and is currently assisting police with investigations.

The Assembly Member for the Kwame-Akura East Electoral Area, Philip Kwadwo Bidaba, told the GNA that he received a telephone call in the early hours of Sunday informing him that a suspected yam thief had been shot dead in the community.

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He said he immediately proceeded to the Dambai Police Station, where he was informed that the suspected shooter had already reported himself to the police and had been taken into custody.

According to Mr Bidaba, residents later gathered at the police station in an attempt to identify the deceased.

He said he appealed to the police to allow the body bag to be opened to enable residents and community members to identify the deceased, but the request was declined.

“The body had already been secured in a body bag, making identification difficult. We pleaded with the police to allow residents to assist with identification, but they declined,” he said.

The GNA observed that police officers, accompanied by the Assembly Member and relatives of the shooter, later conveyed the body to the Worawora Government Hospital Mortuary in the Biakoye District for preservation and autopsy.

The identities of both the deceased and the farmer have not been officially disclosed by the police, pending the formal identification of the deceased and the outcome of preliminary investigations.

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The suspects reportedly wore National Security uniforms and moved from one community to another, demanding money from residents, particularly those involved in cannabis cultivation.

Reports by Accra-based Citi News indicate that the group operated in Aboa, Osoya, Osuboi No. 1, Opesika, and other nearby communities.

The suspects allegedly used motorbikes to patrol the areas and promised cannabis farmers protection from police raids and other law enforcement operations in exchange for money.

The group had reportedly been under surveillance by the Eastern Regional Police Command’s Operations Unit for several months.

Acting on intelligence that the suspects had resumed their activities, officers mounted an early morning operation and arrested them shortly after they allegedly collected GH¢3,000 from farmers at Aboa.

During the operation, police seized a silver Toyota Voxy with registration number GE 8755-26, a pump-action gun, and a pistol believed to have been used by the suspects.

The suspects have since been taken to the Eastern Regional Police Command in Koforidua, where they are assisting with investigations.

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The attackers ​stormed communities in the Sauna district of ​the Talata Mafara local government area at about ⁠1300 GMT on Tuesday and opened fire on ​people working on their farms, residents told Reuters.

“They ​killed at least 24 innocent farmers. We are still counting the losses,” resident Auwal Sani said by ​phone.

Zamfara is at the centre of ​a security crisis in Nigeria’s northwest, where armed gangs locally ‌known ⁠as bandits frequently raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom and steal livestock.

Residents said the gunmen travelled nearly 50 km (31 miles) along the ​Mayanchi-Anka highway, ​a key ⁠trade route, before reaching Sauna without encountering security forces.

Police and military ​authorities were not immediately available for ​comment.

Another ⁠resident, Bello Aliyu, said Tuesday’s attack lasted for about three hours.

“They rustled an unspecified ⁠number ​of livestock, leaving several people ​wounded who are currently receiving treatment,” he said.

According to eyewitnesses, the suspects allegedly trailed the victim after a banking transaction before snatching a large sum of money and fleeing the scene in a Toyota RAV4.

Their escape, however, was cut short when the vehicle reportedly crashed into a tree during the pursuit.

The crash led to the arrest of one of the suspects, while the remaining occupants reportedly abandoned the vehicle, escaped on foot and made away with the stolen cash.

Residents who witnessed the incident gathered at the scene as security personnel moved in to secure the area and apprehend the suspect.

The arrested suspect has since been taken into custody to assist with investigations, while efforts are underway to track down the remaining suspects and recover the stolen money.

The incident has heightened concerns over attacks targeting bank customers, with the public being urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police.

Site owner, Yussif Ibrahim, was picked up after one of his employees, arrested during an operation, identified him as his boss.

The arrest comes as the Regional Security Council reclaims the site degraded by illegal miners.

Illegal miners set up their camp less than 5 metres behind the walls of the Adansi Asokwa Agenda 111 Hospital.

The Ashanti Regional Security Council moved in immediately after news of the activities of the miners surfaced in the media in the first week of July.

National Security, acting on the orders of REGSEC, has been supervising the reclamation of the mined pits, which can be compared to the size of 30 standard football fields.

The reclamation process has successfully restored over 80 percent of the degraded land.

But despite the presence of national security operatives, some illegal miners were still found operating.

This situation led to the arrest of one person who later led operatives to the arrest of his boss.

Deputy Regional Security Coordinator Alhaji Abdellah Umar tells journalists that investigations into the operations of the gang have begun as the two are questioned.

Alhaji Abdellah Umar

He first defended why the national security embarked on the move to clamp down on the activities of the illegal miners.

“We know it is very close to the Agenda 111 [project], and when we came, we still saw [illegal mining] as the reclamation was going on; we’ve still seen some around. It means when we are not careful, in the next few days or weeks, we will realise [illegal mining] on the premises of the Agenda 111 itself.”

According to him, no stone will be left unturned in efforts to reclaim mined-out lands.

“The land we are standing on now is to be given a second chance, because some few weeks ago, it was heavily degraded by illegal miners—those who you are, who you are claiming we are treating with kid gloves or whatever. As you can attest to with me, whilst we were here, we picked some of the workers, or some of the boys who were still around trying to work on the land, to the RCC. So, that is part of the fight for getting our lands back, and I can assure you we are going to take them on, especially the illegal miners who did that wrong in this place.”

One of the suspects arrested at the site

Meanwhile, REGSEC is partnering with the Logeist EcoReclaim Initiative and Agricentric Ventures to fully restore the degraded land.

Officials say the reclaimed land would be put to economic use in time as a public-private partnership.

“Our involvement in this exercise is to conduct what is called ‘microbial ecological research’, where we use bacteria or inoculants—microbial inoculants or bacteria, let me put it that way. We cultivate bacteria; we apply them to the soil to break down or make the chemicals in the soil lose their bioavailability,” says Gideon Nyameson, Chief Executive Officer, Agricentric Ventures.

According to him, his organisation will introduce a social inclusivity programme to involve members of catchment communities.

“We want to do this—and then after that, we apply carbon or activated biochar in order to make the soil productive again,” he said.

“And we want to do this because we’ve realised that anytime there is—anytime we do the reclamation, and sometimes you do planting, you even plant trees, and you leave, they come back, and they start the mining—the illegal mining activities again. So this time, what we want to do is to introduce something called ‘social inclusivity’, where after doing the reclamation, we treat the soil and apply the bacteria and all the necessary elements to remediate the soil. And after that, we plant shrubs or oil-yielding plants.”

On his part, Group General Manager of Logesist EcoReclaim Initiative, Benjamin Karikari Dwira, led a team to assess and observe the situation.

He revealed his organisation is partnering with Agricentric, CSIR, and FORIG to make the degraded land fertile again.

“We are doing everything that we can to make sure that we have a solution for it. But as it stands now, I can tell you, per observation, this place is a place that we must move to and sit in earnest to make sure that we do something about it.”

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According to the Police, the robbery, which occurred on the evening of July 19, 2026, was allegedly planned by the victim’s driver, who is accused of providing information to the other suspects.

The incident occurred around 8:30 pm near the Portor Police Barrier within the Kintampo Police Division.

The Police said officers stationed at the barrier responded swiftly after receiving intelligence that a robbery was underway.

Upon reaching the scene, four suspects reportedly fled into a nearby bush, while officers arrested Abdul Sadat Ali, 24, who was driving a Toyota Voxy with registration number AS 1541-25.

During preliminary investigations, Abdul Sadat Ali allegedly mentioned another suspect, Samad Issahaka, 24, who was driving a Kia Rhino with registration number AS 7337-23.

Police subsequently arrested Samad Issahaka, leading to further investigations that allegedly uncovered the involvement of the victim’s driver.

How the Robbery Unfolded

According to police reports, the incident occurred at approximately 8:30 pm on the Portor-Gulumpe Highway, just a few meters from the Portor Police Barrier under the Kintampo Police Division.

Acting on intelligence that a robbery was in progress, police personnel on duty at the barrier swiftly responded and moved to the scene. Upon arrival, four suspects fled into the bush, but officers managed to arrest Abdul Sadat Ali, a 24-year-old driver of a Toyota Voxy with registration number AS 1541-25.

During preliminary interrogation, Abdul Sadat Ali implicated Samad Issahaka, also 24, the driver of a Kia Rhino with registration number AS 7337-23, as a member of the robbery gang. Police promptly arrested him.

The Shocking Twist: An Inside Job

Further investigations uncovered a disturbing conspiracy. Yahaya Seidu, 35, the owner of the Kia Rhino, had instructed his driver, Samad Issahaka, to convey him to Buipe to purchase cattle. Unbeknownst to the businessman, his driver knew he was carrying a large sum of money and conspired with five others to rob him on the highway.

Armed with a toy pistol, the suspects trailed the Kia Rhino and its occupants from Offinso in the Ashanti Region, caught up with them after the Portor Police Barrier, and robbed them of GHC 300,000.00 in cash.

Pursuit and Arrest of Fleeing Suspects

Police counter-terrorism personnel, together with the local police patrol team, pursued the four fleeing suspects into the bush and successfully arrested all of them. They have been identified as:

1· Abdul Rahman Mashud, 21
2· Asigri Avoka, 25
3· Awini Stephen, 19
4· Faisal Salifu, 26

A search conducted on the suspects led to the retrieval of the entire GHC 300,000.00 robbed from the victim, a major relief for the businessman who lost nothing in the end.

Suspects Confess

During interrogation, the suspects admitted that they had been tipped off by suspect Samad Issahaka, the victim’s driver, and had trailed the Kia Rhino from Offinso before executing the robbery at Portor.

All six suspects are currently in police custody and are assisting with ongoing investigations.

Police Commendation and Assurance

The Ghana Police Service has commended the alertness and professionalism of the personnel on duty, as well as the counter-terrorism team for their support in effecting the arrests.

Addressing the media at the Regional Command in Techiman, the Bono East Regional Police Commander, DCOP Shaibu Sadique-Osei, assured the public of the Police Service’s continued commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all persons and property within the Bono East Region.

“This was an inside job. The driver, knowing his boss was carrying that amount of money, conspired with five others to stage the robbery. They used a toy pistol, but their intent was deadly serious,” DCOP Sadique-Osei stated. “We are pleased that our men on the ground acted with speed and precision. Crime will not pay in this region.”

The Police Service has urged the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activities, especially when traveling with significant sums of money.

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The Accra High Court postponed proceedings to allow for the replacement of the absent juror. Following consultations between the prosecution and the defence, a new juror was selected, completing the seven-member jury, which was subsequently sworn in.

Before adjourning the case, the trial judge cautioned the jurors against discussing the matter with anyone or following media reports and social media commentary about the trial.

The jurors were also directed to keep all proceedings confidential throughout the hearing.

The court warned that any juror who fails to attend future sittings without a valid reason could face sanctions.

When the case resumes on July 27, both the prosecution and defence are expected to deliver their opening statements before the court moves to a case management conference. The prosecution is also expected to call its first witness.

Safina, a student, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder in connection with the death of Frank Kofi Osei at Ashaley Botwe School Junction in July 2022. She is currently on bail.

According to the prosecution, Osei travelled from Canada and spent the night of July 24, 2022, at Safina’s residence.

The prosecution alleges that Safina, together with others, attacked Osei, leading to his death through stabbing and strangulation.

It further claims that the suspects cleaned the crime scene, left the body in the room for about a day, and later moved it to the entrance of the house near the deceased’s vehicle in an attempt to conceal the incident.

Prosecutors say Safina later contacted the police and reported that her boyfriend had died in her room.

However, upon arrival at the scene, officers discovered Osei’s body outside the house and subsequently took Safina into custody to assist with investigations.

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• Canadian murder case adjourned, awaiting jury directive

The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, July 19, 2026, after Zakari and another suspect, identified as Baaba Adamu, were accused of stealing GH¢4,800.

According to reports, the two men were allegedly apprehended by some residents shortly after the alleged theft. Tensions quickly escalated as an angry crowd descended on them, accusing them of being responsible for the missing money.

Yussif Zakari is said to have been severely beaten during the assault, sustaining multiple injuries. Despite efforts to save his life, he later succumbed to the injuries.

Following the incident, police have launched manhunt for the nine suspects believed to have participated in the assault that resulted in Zakari’s death.

One suspect has since been arrested to assist with investigations.

According to 3news, Vincent is believed to have died about three days before his body was discovered in the hall of his home.

Following preliminary police procedures, the body was released to the family on Saturday, July 18, and has since been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Mortuary pending further investigations.

The cause of death remains unknown, and police have not made any arrests in connection with the incident.

Family members said a sponge was found tied around Vincent’s neck when his body was discovered, with his tongue reportedly protruding.

However, they have rejected suggestions that he may have taken his own life, arguing that there was no beam, hook, or any structure in the room that could have supported a hanging.

The family believes the circumstances surrounding his death may point to possible foul play.

Their suspicions were further raised by what they described as bloodstains on the walls of the hall where the body was found, leading to calls for a comprehensive forensic investigation.

Police have stated that the exact cause of death has not yet been established and that investigations are ongoing. Authorities are expected to rely on forensic and medical examination reports before drawing conclusions.

Two mobile phones belonging to the deceased were recovered from the scene. The devices, which were switched off at the time, have been taken into police custody for examination.

The family has also dismissed reports suggesting that Vincent was involved in the sale of mobile phones.

A relative explained that the phones belonged to Vincent’s brother, who lives abroad and had asked him to sell them on his behalf. The family insists the devices had already been sold before the incident and described claims that he was a phone dealer as false.

Relatives and residents of Kwadaso are calling on the police to conduct a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding Vincent Amo Amponsah’s death and ensure that anyone found responsible is brought to justice.

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Cobbinah, unemployed, pleaded guilty to unlawful entry and stealing, and he was convicted on his own plea by the judge, Bernice Mensimah Ackon.   

Police Sergeant Adwoa Yeboah, prosecuting, told the court that the complainant, Bernice Xornam Beble, resided at Nkamponase and Cobbinah lived at Tarkwa Railway Station.   

She said that on May 16, 2026, at about 01:40 hours, the complainant woke up and realised that her door had been opened and that her iPhone XR, valued at GH¢2,500, and GH¢5,700 in cash had been stolen from the room.  

The prosecution said that the same day, Cobbinah was seen offering the same iPhone for sale, and it was then picked up and handed over to the police.   

According to Sergeant Yeboah, a cash sum of GH¢3,000 was found on the convict and retrieved at the police station.   

She said during interrogation, Cobbinah confessed to the theft and named one Michell, who is currently at large, as his accomplice.  

Sergeant Yeboah informed the court that Cobbinah further told the police officers that he had taken only the iPhone XR and GH¢4,000, not GH¢5,700, as alleged.  

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Chief Inspector Godsway Kromoah, who prosecuted the case, told the court that the complainant, a 43-year-old businesswoman, lives at Combine, a suburb of Akosombo, with her 12-year-old daughter, a Class Six pupil. 

The prosecution said Mensah, the victim’s class teacher, had been providing private French lessons to the child for about four years after he was engaged by the complainant. 

According to the prosecution, the complainant on July 11, 2026, observed changes in her daughter’s manner of walking and questioned her. 

The child disclosed that on July 8, 2026, at about 1700 hours, the teacher had sexual intercourse with her while conducting lessons at the family’s residence. 

The court heard that the accused allegedly warned the victim not to report the incident, claiming it would bring shame upon her. 

He also threatened to fail her in his subject during the end-of-term examinations if she disclosed the matter, the prosecution said. 

The incident was subsequently reported to the police, who took statements from the complainant and the victim. 

A medical examination conducted at a government hospital after police issued a medical report form produced findings consistent with sexual assault. 

Mensah was arrested on July 12, 2026. In his cautioned statement, he denied having sexual intercourse with the victim. 

Following investigations, he was charged with defilement and prosecuted before the Odumase-Krobo Circuit Court. 

The court sentenced him to 12 years’ imprisonment, describing the punishment as a deterrent against sexual offences involving children and other vulnerable persons. 

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According to the Deputy Regional Commander, ACP Cephas Arthur, the suspect allegedly led a group of armed robbers to attack and stab Abdul Jabal Sulemana to death at Obuasi on July 9, 2026.

Addressing the media, ACP Arthur said the police responded to the incident but were unable to make any immediate arrests.

“A follow-up was made to the AGA Hospital in Obuasi, where Abdul Jabal Sulemana was receiving treatment. Unfortunately, he was later pronounced dead,” he stated.

He added that through intelligence-led operations, a police team tracked the suspect to Bongo in the Upper East Region, where he was arrested.

The suspect is currently in police custody assisting with investigations.

ACP Arthur issued a strong warning to armed robbers and criminal gangs operating within the region, assuring the public that the police would continue efforts to clamp down on criminal activities.

“The police will not give room for their activities. We are determined to deal ruthlessly with anyone who engages in crime,” he cautioned.

The body of the deceased has been deposited at the morgue pending autopsy and further investigations.

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David Kpandoyo, 25, a Togolese national, pleaded guilty to child stealing. 

The court, presided over by Mrs Angela Attachie, convicted him on his own plea and adjourned sentencing to July 14, 2026. 

Kpandoyo told the court that he had gone to a drinking spot to consume alcohol when the child approached him.  

He said he gave the boy some money, took him home, and could not remember what happened afterwards because he was intoxicated. 

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Patience Mario, assisted by Chief Inspector Jacob Nyarko, led the prosecution. 

The prosecution said the complainant, Mr Bismark Gbago, is a 52-year-old painter residing at New Legon in Accra. 

The victim’s mother, Ms Patience Ablordefey Afefa, is a 25-year-old hairdresser living at Kpedze in the Volta Region with the victim, a Kindergarten One pupil. 

The prosecution said Kpandoyo also resided at New Legon, where he worked as a mason. 

It said the victim went missing at Kpedze on July 1, 2026, at about 1800 hours. 

On July 3, at about 1830 hours, the complainant reported to the New Legon Police that he had found the four-year-old boy wandering around the area and that the child was unable to identify his home. 

The prosecution said that on July 4, at about 1600 hours, the complainant informed the Police that after announcements were made within the community, Kpandoyo came forward claiming that the boy was his son. 

The complainant and Kpandoyo subsequently went to the police Station to identify the child. 

However, Kpandoyo was unable to produce the child’s birth certificate or lead the Police to the child’s mother. 

Later that day, the police received a flyer bearing the name and telephone numbers of the victim’s mother, together with the child’s photograph, indicating that he had gone missing from Kpedze. 

The police contacted the victim’s mother and asked her to report to the New Legon Police Station with the child’s birth certificate and weighing card because another person was claiming to be the child’s parent. 

On July 6, at about 0900 hours, the victim’s mother and her relatives reported to the Police Station and stated that they did not know Kpandoyo. 

During investigations, Kpandoyo admitted in his cautioned statement that the victim was not his child. 

He further confessed that while working at Kpedze, he stole the boy and brought him to Accra. 

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The incident occurred on June 12, 2026, when Emmanuel Kwaku Amanor, alias High Sense Price, and two accomplices attempted to rob attendants at gunpoint. 

Chief Inspector Jacob Nyarko, the prosecutor, said Amanor, a barber, conspired with Eugene Kwabena Kweisi, alias Trouble, and Isalah Kwesi Nartey, alias Poison, to rob the station’s workers. 

Amanor has been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and attempt to commit robbery, while his mother, Faustina Deyon, unemployed, has been charged with harbouring a criminal. Both pleaded not guilty. 

Amanor, who was carried into the courtroom, was remanded into lawful custody.  

Faustina was granted bail of GHS100,000 with three sureties and ordered to report weekly to the case investigator. 

The matter was adjourned to September 14, 2026, for Case Management Conference. 

The prosecution said Amanor and his accomplices armed themselves with machetes, knives and a pump action gun before arriving at the station at about 2300 hours.  

The court heard that Amanor ordered the complainant, Evans Keampah, a pump attendant, to surrender the daily sales.  

Kweisi then pointed the gun at him but accidentally discharged it, striking Amanor in the thigh. 

Kweisi and Nartey fled on a motorcycle, leaving Amanor at the scene.  

Witnesses alerted Police, who arrested Amanor and sent him to the Police Hospital. 

In his caution statement, Amanor admitted conspiring with his accomplices to rob the station and said the pump action gun belonged to him. Police retrieved one spent cartridge and one live cartridge at the scene. 

On June 17, 2026, Amanor led Police to Asuboi to arrest Kweisi and Nartey, but they were not found.  

A search in Kweisi’s room, in Faustina’s presence, yielded two machetes and three kitchen knives. 

The prosecution said Faustina admitted residing with Kweisi and being aware of his criminal activities, including narcotic sales.  

Police retrieved an Infinix Hot mobile phone allegedly given to her by Kweisi from robbery proceeds. 

Investigations established that Faustina advised Kweisi and Nartey to flee after learning Amanor had been shot.  

Police later retrieved the unregistered Haojue 125 motorcycle used in the robbery from Nartey’s residence. 

Prosecution said efforts are underway to arrest Kweisi and Nartey.  

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The deceased, a farmer, reportedly had nine children with the suspect, with the youngest being about four years old.

According to one of their children who spoke to Adom News, the couple had a misunderstanding during the night, but she did not consider it serious and went to sleep.

She said she later woke up after hearing her mother allegedly threatening to kill her father before hitting him on the head while he was asleep.

The children, according to her, quickly ran to seek help from neighbours and returned to find their father unconscious and lying in a pool of blood.

He was rushed to the Bole District Government Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The body has since been released to the family for burial, while the suspect remains in police custody at the Bole Police Station as investigations continue.

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The traveller, David Vouganye, was arrested after authorities in Doha, Qatar, found the suspected narcotic drugs hidden among food and personal care items in the parcel. He was subsequently prosecuted in Qatar and is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence.

The four accused persons are Isaac Techie-Menson, 57; Comfort Ofosu, 25; Catherine Quaye, 43, all travel agents and Kwaku Blorme, 38, a tiler.

They were before the court presided over by Stephen Sarpong last Tuesday, charged with unlawful control of narcotic drugs and engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs.

The four pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 each with three sureties.

The court ordered that the sureties must reside within its jurisdiction, while one of them must justify the bail with landed property valued at not less than the bail sum.

The accused persons were also directed to report to the investigator handling the case every fortnight.

They are expected to reappear before the court on August 3, 2026.

Brief background

Presenting the facts of the case, the prosecutor, C/Insp Maxwell Oppong, said the Drug Law Enforcement Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) received a complaint on October 30, 2025, from Mr Kwasi Dari, the father of Vouganye.

According to the prosecution, Mr Dari reported that on October 13, 2025, Techie-Menson and Ms Ofosu gave a parcel to his son, who was travelling to Doha, Qatar.

Vouganye was allegedly asked to deliver the parcel to a person who was expected to meet him at the airport in Qatar.

The prosecution said that during arrival checks on October 14, 2025, authorities at the airport in Qatar intercepted the parcel and allegedly detected substances suspected to be narcotic drugs concealed inside.

Vouganye was subsequently arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment in Qatar.

C/Insp Sarpong said that on October 30, 2025, Mr Dari spotted Techie-Menson and Ms Ofosu at the airport in Accra, and with the assistance of the Airport Police, they were arrested.

During investigations, Techie-Menson and Ms Ofosu allegedly identified Ms Quaye as the person who had brought the parcel to them for onward delivery through a passenger travelling to Doha.

He added that Ms Quaye was subsequently arrested. In her statement, she allegedly identified Blorme as the person who gave her the parcel.

The prosecutor said Ms Quaye told investigators that when she inspected the parcel, she saw gari and sealed containers of Ever Sheen cocoa butter.

“Blorme, however, allegedly admitted sending a parcel to Ms Quaye but maintained that it contained only food and personal care items, including fante kenkey and epiderm cream,” he added.

The prosecutor added that investigations into the case were ongoing and that a formal request had been sent to authorities in Qatar through Interpol for full details of the case involving Vouganye.

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The suspects, identified as Daniel Victor Eze and David Oko Ewa, were arrested at Tatale on the Ghana-Togo border following intelligence-led operations after the body of 36-year-old Nkemujika Uzorchuku Eze was discovered in his bedroom on Saturday, July 11, 2026.

According to the police, officers who responded to the scene found the deceased with a deep cut wound to the forehead and a towel stuffed into his mouth. The bedroom had also been ransacked.

Investigators recovered a wooden pestle believed to have been used in the attack, along with other items for forensic examination.

The body was conveyed to the Tamale Teaching Hospital, where a medical officer confirmed the victim dead. It has since been deposited at the hospital mortuary pending an autopsy.

Police said preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased shared a three-bedroom apartment with his wife, Peace Uzorchuku, the two suspects and another Nigerian national, identified as Godwin Nwafor.

In a statement, the Northern Regional Police Command said the suspects were arrested while allegedly attempting to cross into neighbouring Togo.

According to the police, the suspects allegedly admitted during interrogation that they conspired to kill the deceased following a dispute over proceeds from alleged internet fraud activities.

A search conducted after their arrest led to the recovery of several items believed to have been stolen from the deceased’s room. These include mobile phones, laptops, a tablet, jewellery, wristwatches, clothing and personal documents, all of which have been retained as exhibits.

The suspects remain in police custody and are expected to appear before a court in Tamale on Monday, July 13, 2026.

The Police Command said investigations are ongoing, including forensic examinations and efforts to retrieve relevant CCTV footage.

It also appealed to the public to volunteer credible information that could assist with the investigation, assuring that all those found to have played a role in the crime would be brought to justice.

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The accused, who was extradited from Ghana to the United States, has been accused of conspiring with one Daniel Yussif and others to participate in a scheme that used Artificial Intelligence tools to create fake identities and build relationships with victims in order to solicit money under false pretences.

The U.S. District Court, presided over by Judge John R. Adams of the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, has fixed September 8, 2026, for the jury trial to begin. A pre-trial conference has been fixed for August 25, 2026.

Per court documents, both parties may enter plea negotiations if they so wish, but must do so before the date set for the jury trial.

“Accordingly, the court will not accept plea agreements after the date of the pre-trial,” it said.

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When the case was called on Wednesday, the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Opoku Aniagyei, informed the court that all necessary documents had been served on the accused, Latifa Salifu. 

The outcome of the Case Management Conference will pave the way for the court to fix a date for the commencement of the trial. 

The case attracted widespread public attention in February this year, following the alleged theft of a newborn baby from the Mamprobi Hospital. 

Latifa Salifu, a 33-year-old trader, has been charged with child stealing. She has denied the charge and was granted bail in the sum of GH¢200,000. 

The complainant, Precious Ankomah, a 29-year-old trader from James Town, delivered a baby boy by caesarean section at the hospital on February 16, 2026, prosecution said. 

The baby was subsequently diagnosed with jaundice, and arrangements were made to transfer both mother and child to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. 

Although the complainant was discharged the same day because she was unable to settle her medical bills, she remained at the hospital with her baby. 

The prosecution said at about 0400 hours on February 17, the accused allegedly approached the complainant while dressed in peach-coloured nurse scrubs, observed the baby and left. 

She allegedly returned at about 0700 hours and took the baby under the pretext of administering medication but failed to return. 

When nurses reported for duty that morning, they discovered that the baby was missing.  

The complainant told them that a woman she believed to be a nurse had taken the baby for treatment. 

A search of the hospital proved unsuccessful, prompting a nurse, Abigail Gudjinu, to report the incident to the Mamprobi Police. 

On February 18, 2026, while investigations were ongoing, a whistle-blower informed the police that the accused had claimed she had delivered a baby at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and had been discharged the same day. 

The information led to the accused’s arrest. During investigations, she allegedly admitted to the offence, the prosecution said. 

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Martha Nana Esi Afful, who had earlier been remanded, pleaded not guilty to 35 counts of fraudulent breach of trust when she appeared before the court.

Presiding Judge Joseph Y. Kuunsong admitted the accused to bail in the sum of GH₵200,000 with two sureties. The court directed that one of the sureties must be a public servant earning not less than GH₵5,000 a month.

The case has been adjourned to August 12, 2026.

According to the prosecution, the complainants are traders and residents of La in Accra.

The prosecution alleged that Martha, described as a self-styled susu collector formerly residing at Burma Camp, operated a business known as “ZOE” and represented to the complainants that she collected daily susu contributions, which would be held for periods ranging from one to three years before being repaid with interest.

The court heard that the complainants began making contributions in 2023 under a three-year savings arrangement.

The prosecution alleged that when the contributors attempted to withdraw their savings and the promised interest in December 2025, the accused could not be reached, although she reportedly remained in contact with a few of the complainants by telephone.

According to the prosecution, the accused also provided an MTN Mobile Money number through which some of the complainants continued to make payments.

The prosecution said repeated attempts by the complainants to recover the alleged GH₵156,445 proved unsuccessful.

The court heard that a complaint was lodged with the police on June 14, 2026, leading to Martha’s arrest at a washing bay at Tse Addo. 

According to the prosecution, in her caution statement to the police, the accused said she had relocated to Swedru in the Central Region following the death of her husband, which made it difficult for the complainants to contact her after December 2025.

The prosecution further stated that the accused told investigators she had invested the money in a refuse collection business and requested time to repay the amount.

The prosecution’s allegations remain before the court and have not yet been determined. Police investigations are ongoing.

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The accused allegedly hid the suspected narcotic drugs among items including Ever Sheen cocoa butter, Fante kenkey and smoked fish.

The traveller was arrested on arrival in Qatar and is serving a 25-year prison sentence.

The accused are Isaac Techie-Menson, 57, Comfort Ofosu, 25, Catherine Quaye, 43, all travel agents, and Kwaku Blorme, 38, a tiler.

They have been charged with unlawful control of narcotic drugs and prohibition of business relating to narcotic drugs.

The accused pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 each with three sureties.

The court ordered that the sureties must reside within its jurisdiction, with one surety required to justify the bail with landed property valued at not less than the bail sum.

The court also directed the accused to report to the case investigator every fortnight.

They are expected to reappear on August 3, 2026.

The prosecution said that on October 30, 2025, the Drug Law Enforcement Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department received a complaint from Mr Kwasi Dari that, on October 13, 2025, Techie-Menson and Ofosu gave a parcel to his son, David Vouganye, who was travelling to Doha, Qatar, to deliver to a person expected to meet him at the airport.

According to the prosecution, airport authorities at Qatar International Airport intercepted the parcel during arrival checks on October 14, 2025 and detected substances suspected to be narcotic drugs concealed inside it.

Vouganye was subsequently arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment.

The prosecution said that on October 30, 2025, the complainant spotted Techie-Menson and Ofosu at the Accra International Airport and, with the assistance of the Airport Police, they were arrested.

During investigations, Techie-Menson and Ofosu allegedly identified Quaye as the person who had brought the parcel to them for onward delivery through a passenger travelling to Doha.

Quaye was subsequently arrested and, in her cautioned statement, allegedly identified Blorme as the person who had given her the parcel.

The prosecution said Quaye told investigators that when she inspected the parcel, it contained gari and sealed containers of Ever Sheen cocoa butter.

Blorme, the prosecution said, admitted sending a parcel to Quaye but maintained that it contained only food items comprising gari, Fante kenkey, smoked fish and epiderm cream.

The prosecution told the court that a formal request had been sent to Qatar through Interpol for full details of the case, while investigations continue.

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40-year-old Kwabena Kissi walked into a Santander branch in Brixton, south London, on July 5, 2022, wearing a helmet with the visor down, a face mask, and a G4S uniform from a job he had resigned from two years earlier, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

CCTV footage played in court showed staff buzzing him into the secure office, where they handed him bags of cash, believing he was on a routine collection.

Kissi calmly walked out with the money in a briefcase, changed his clothes nearby, transferred the cash into a bin bag, and left the scene in an Uber.

Prosecutor Imogen Nelson told the court that Santander’s vault manager, Otis Williams, had bagged up £256,000 for collection that day across eleven bags.

When one member of staff remarked that Kissi had arrived early, he told them he was on a new route, and no suspicion was raised at that point. Staff only grew concerned when Kissi failed to return for a second pickup and realised something was wrong once the genuine G4S courier turned up for the actual collection.

Kissi returned to Accra a day after the theft and lived here with his ailing mother for close to four years.

His scheme, however, fell apart when he returned to the UK on March 26 this year and made the mistake of booking an Uber using his real name and phone number, the same phone he had used during the 2022 heist.

Police, who had been monitoring for his return, arrested him as he landed at Gatwick Airport. He initially claimed mistaken identity, but officers matched the handset to the one used in the original fraud.

In April, Kissi admitted fraud by false representation. A second charge of possessing criminal property was dropped.

His lawyer, Piers Walter, told the court Kissi had gone to Ghana to care for his mother, who was in financial difficulty at the time and has since died of heart failure.

Judge Rosa Dean said she was sceptical that caring for his mother was the real reason for the trip, telling Kissi the evidence pointed to him fleeing to evade detection. She said he had exploited his “inside knowledge” of the bank’s collection routine and left staff badly shaken, though she noted she was glad none of them faced disciplinary action over the fraud.

Detective Constable Stuart Ponder, who led the Metropolitan Police investigation, said CCTV and phone evidence linked Kissi to the getaway vehicle, and that officers feared he might never return to the UK once he left the day after the heist. He said the case showed the force’s commitment to pursuing high-value thefts regardless of how long it takes.

Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, who also goes by the name “Dada Joe Remix,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud last week, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.

Boateng was arrested in Ghana on an extradition warrant on May 27, 2025, and extradited to the United States the following month. He has remained in custody since his arrest.

According to his plea agreement, Boateng and his co-conspirators ran the fraud scheme from 2013 through March 2023, targeting elderly victims in Arizona and other parts of the United States.

Prosecutors say the co-conspirators posed as romantic partners with victims through online dating platforms, text messages and other electronic communications.

They also falsely claimed to have received an “inheritance” of gold and jewels, telling victims that taxes and other fees needed to be paid before the items could be released to them.

Boateng’s sentencing has been scheduled for September 8, 2026, before United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez.

The case involved cooperation between American and Ghanaian authorities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office credited the FBI Legal Attaché in Accra, Ghana’s Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and the Ghana Police Service’s INTERPOL unit for their support in securing the extradition, alongside the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.

The FBI’s Phoenix Division, through its Sierra Vista office, investigated the case, while the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Tucson is prosecuting it.

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The operation, carried out in the early hours of Friday, June 26, 2026, forms part of ongoing efforts by the Ghana Police Service to clamp down on the trafficking and sale of illicit drugs in the area.

In a statement issued on Monday, June 29, the police identified the suspects as Issaka Musah, 22; Amankwah Emmanuel, 25; Kwame Boateng, 32; and Appiah Prince, 23.

According to the police, items retrieved during the operation include one locally manufactured pistol loaded with two BB rounds of ammunition, quantities of suspected tramadol, red capsules, dried leaves believed to be Indian hemp, and a whitish powdery substance suspected to be cocaine.

An amount of GH¢5,647.40, believed to be proceeds from illegal trade, was also seized.

“The operation, which took place in the early hours of Friday, 26th June 2026, forms part of the Police Service’s sustained efforts to clamp down on the trafficking and peddling of illicit drugs and other related criminal activities within the district,” the statement added.

The suspects have allegedly admitted ownership of the seized items. They are currently in police custody assisting with investigations and are expected to be arraigned before court once investigations are completed.

“The suspects are currently in Police custody assisting with investigations and will be put before the court upon the conclusion of investigations,” the Police noted.

The Ghana Police Service has reiterated its commitment to fighting drug-related offences and organised crime, while calling on the public to continue providing timely and credible information to help in this effort.

“The Ghana Police Service remains resolute in its fight against drug-related offences and organised crime,” it said.

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Read the full statement below:

The convict, Alfred Mensah, was charged with stealing and pleaded guilty. The court subsequently ordered him to refund the full amount and imposed a fine of GH¢12,000, in default of which he will serve two years’ imprisonment.

Standing trial alongside him were Mary Asantewaa, a trader, and Emmanuel Okyere, a pastor, who were charged with abetment of crime, to wit, stealing, and dishonestly receiving stolen property.

Others, including Samuel Dika, Miriam Okai and 59-year-old trader Vida Yeboah, were also charged with dishonestly receiving stolen property.

Apart from Mensah, all the accused persons pleaded not guilty. They were granted bail in the sum of GH¢353,471 each with justification.

Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo, who led the prosecution, told the court that the complainant, Gideon Offei Tieku, is a businessman dealing in plumbing materials at Lakeside and Kantamanto. According to him, Mensah had worked with the complainant for seven years.

The prosecution said that between 2024 and 2025, the complainant detected unexplained financial losses in his business but could not immediately identify the source.

The case came to light on June 17, 2025, when the complainant arrested Mensah and handed him over to the Lakeside Community 8 Police Station after a business partner reported that he had collected plumbing materials worth GH¢56,000 without making payment.

During police interrogation, Mensah admitted the offence and stated that he had handed the stolen money to Asantewaa and Samuel Dika after informing them that he intended to marry. He claimed the two had promised to help him find a wife.

Investigations, however, revealed that Mensah was subsequently deceived into sending additional funds after being told that the supposed bride was ill and suffering from a kidney condition. The suspects allegedly further convinced him that she needed to be flown to South Africa for urgent medical treatment.

Mensah eventually transferred a total of GH¢353,471.50 through Asantewaa’s mobile money account.

Further investigations led to the arrest of Asantewaa, who implicated Dika as her accomplice. Dika was also arrested, while additional inquiries linked Okyere, Miriam Okai and Vida Yeboah as beneficiaries of the stolen funds.

The prosecution told the court that GH¢46,000 was later recovered from Vida Yeboah as part of ongoing recovery efforts.

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According to reports, the suspect had repeatedly warned the deceased against pursuing a romantic relationship with his aunt. The situation reportedly escalated into a violent confrontation that led to the tragic killing.

The deceased’s brother, Kojo Bentum, who spoke to Adom News, confirmed the incident and recounted the painful details.

The suspect has since been arrested by the Awutu Bawjiase District Police Command and is assisting with investigations, while the body of the deceased has been deposited at the Police Hospital Mortuary.

Meanwhile, the Acting Head of Family of Awutu Bebiaa Ne Ha, Nana Kweku Asare, expressed shock at the gruesome incident when the news reached him.

The case has sent shockwaves through the community, with many residents expressing concern over the rising cases of violence linked to personal relationships in the area.

Police have commenced full investigations into the matter.

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The body, believed to be that of a woman aged between 30 and 40 years, was discovered on Thursday after residents traced a strong foul smell in the area to a nearby bush.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, the Somanya District Police Commander, ASP Nana Akomeah, said officers were dispatched to the scene immediately after receiving the report.

He said police found the body hanging from a tree with what appeared to be a piece of cloth tied around the neck.

According to him, the body was in an advanced state of decomposition, making immediate identification impossible.

“From the look of things, we suspect foul play because there are signs that suggest the body was assaulted,” ASP Akomeah said.

He explained that investigators had begun reviewing station diaries and missing persons records because the body was believed to have remained at the location for about three weeks.

During the review, police identified a missing person report lodged on June 17 by a man searching for his wife.

The complainant was invited to the Yilo Krobo District Hospital mortuary to identify the body but confirmed that the deceased was not his wife.

ASP Akomeah said the police had also contacted the management of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) regarding a reported missing student.

However, owing to the advanced state of decomposition, the university has not been able to establish whether the deceased is the missing student.

The body has been deposited at the Yilo Krobo District Hospital for preservation and autopsy.

The Police Commander said investigators would rely on the autopsy report to determine the cause of death and establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

He added that the police would collaborate with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other relevant agencies to fumigate the area to prevent any potential public health risk.

ASP Akomeah assured the public that every effort was being made to establish the identity of the deceased and appealed to residents to report missing persons and any suspicious activities to the police to support ongoing investigations.

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According to a statement issued by the Bono Regional Police Command on Thursday, June 25, 2026, officers received a distress call on the morning of June 23 reporting that the teenager had been beaten and locked up inside a room on a church premises over allegations of theft.

The suspect, 39-year-old Rebecca Kumi, founder of the Overcomers Church, is accused of assaulting the boy and detaining him for several days.

Police said that when they responded to the scene, the boy was found locked in a room, wearing only red shorts and covered with a cloth.

He had visible injuries, including marks on his right shoulder and swelling with dark discolouration around both eyes.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim was allegedly beaten with a stick and slapped in the eyes after being accused of stealing money, including US dollars, and a Samsung mobile phone belonging to the suspect.

The boy, however, denied the allegations, telling police he had lived with the suspect since 2024 and had never stolen anything from her.

“The Bono Regional Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) has commenced investigations into the circumstances leading to the suspected assault and causing harm to a 16-year-old boy at Asufufu, a suburb of the Sunyani East Municipality in the Bono Region,” the statement said.

The victim is currently receiving treatment at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital. Police said the suspect admitted to the offence during interrogation in the presence of her lawyer and is expected to be arraigned before court soon.

The police commended a Good Samaritan who reported the incident and urged the public to continue providing information to help protect vulnerable persons.

Read the full statement below:

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The accused persons, Desmond Ayensu, 26, and Frank Osei Bonsu, 27, had their pleas not taken and are expected to reappear before the court on July 7, 2026. 

Police Chief Inspector Ntim Boadu, prosecuting, told the court presided over by Robert Addo that both the complainant, Evander Frimpong and the suspects were residents of Nweneso. 

He said the suspects were small-scale miners, and the complainant was a businessman. 

He explained that on one Sunday in November, 2025, the complainant went to church, and the suspects allegedly conspired, dismantled his window, and entered his room to steal GH¢60,000 in cash. 

Chief Inspector Boadu further told the court that Ayensu fled the town after the incident but was later arrested by the Foase Police upon his return for another offence. 

In his caution statement, he admitted stealing and mentioned Frank as his accomplice. 

After police preliminary investigations, they were charged and brought before the court. 

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