The Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF) has expressed concern over what it describes as the slow pace of prosecution of persons implicated in the alleged killings of Forestry Commission officers while performing their duties.
The Institute’s concerns follow what it describes as a disturbing pattern of attacks, injuries, intimidation and violence against forestry officers, including the recent killing of a forest guard at the Kakum Forest Reserve in the Central Region.
On Saturday, August 22, 2026, a wildlife patrol team at Kakum was attacked by two men suspected of engaging in illegal hunting in the Assin Kruwa area of the conservation area.
A Senior Park Ranger, identified as Otwey, was reportedly shot in the chest and killed during the encounter.
The two suspects have been identified as Bukari Abudu and John Mensah, with the latter currently in custody at the Central Regional Police Command.
According to GIF, the recent incident is one of five cases recorded over the past two years, amid what it describes as an alarming escalation in violent attacks, armed confrontations, intimidation, invasions and destruction of property targeting Forestry Commission officers and facilities.
In a statement signed by the President of GIF, Dr Abukari Nantogmah Attah, the Institute noted that although persons implicated in some of the killings had been arraigned before the courts, prosecution had not progressed at a pace that would bring justice to bereaved families and the forestry community.
“While GIF recognises that criminal investigations must follow due process and that suspects are entitled to the constitutional presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court, the Institute is concerned about the apparent lack of publicly visible progress in some cases involving serious attacks against Forestry Commission personnel,” the statement said.
Dr Attah said repeated attacks without visible progress in delivering justice could embolden others to engage in similar acts.
“When the officers are attacked repeatedly and the perpetrators are not visibly brought to justice, the silence can be interpreted by other offenders as permission. That perception is dangerous and must be addressed.
“The GIF is deeply concerned that these incidents appear to reflect an emerging culture of impunity,” portions of the statement read.
The Institute said the attacks were not merely assaults on individual officers performing their lawful duties but also an affront to the authority of the State, the rule of law and efforts to protect Ghana’s forests and wildlife.
GIF is therefore calling on the relevant security and prosecutorial authorities to ensure that investigations into attacks against Forestry Commission personnel and facilities are pursued with urgency.
It further called for persons against whom sufficient evidence exists to be prosecuted in accordance with due process.
“…and that persons against whom sufficient evidence exists are prosecuted in accordance with due process. No person, group, company or politically connected interest should be above the law,” it said.
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