Ghana Police Intensify Crackdown on Crime: 19 Arrested in Kumasi Raid and Major Murder Suspects Apprehended

The Ghana Police Service has significantly escalated its nationwide operations against criminal networks, marked by a massive intelligence-led raid in Kumasi and the resolution of several high-profile violent crimes. In a coordinated sweep led by the Inspector-General of Police’s (IGP) Special Operations Team, 19 suspects were apprehended in the Alaba and ‘Tinker Island’ suburbs of Kumasi. The operation, involving 111 officers and 10 service vehicles, targeted drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession. Led by DSP Bawah Abdul Jalil and ASP Samuel Mustapha Abenzuo, the team seized quantities of suspected heroin, cocaine, and Indian hemp, including a significant discovery at a local shop. All 19 suspects are currently detained at the Suntreso District Headquarters as investigations continue to dismantle local criminal syndicates.

In tandem with these raids, authorities have made breakthroughs in several brutal homicide cases across the country. In the Oti Region, 36-year-old farmer Chalim Madzaton was arrested for the alleged murder of an 80-year-old woman, while in Awutu Bentum, police recovered the dismembered remains of a trader, Joyce Akua Ampomaa, allegedly killed by a 25-year-old fetish priest. In Accra, 29-year-old Abass Issah was remanded for fatally assaulting his uncle with a pestle during a family feud. Tragic violence also claimed the lives of two brothers in Sefwi Akrofu due to a case of mistaken identity, and a Fulbe herdsman was shot dead by masked gunmen near Wellembelle. In response to renewed violence in Nkwanta that claimed three lives, the IGP has deployed armored vehicles and reinforcements from the National Police Operations to restore order.

Progress has also been recorded in the fight against organized theft and fraud. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) successfully arrested Abubakar Mamoud and Mahmoud Abdul Aziz in connection with a high-stakes jewelry shop robbery in Dzorwulu that occurred in September 2025. Meanwhile, the Accra Circuit Court convicted spiritualist Nana Adwoa Yamoah for defrauding a client of GH₵95,100 under the pretense of securing a chieftaincy title. In a separate case, an engineer was granted GH₵100,000 bail after being charged with the theft of two luxury rental vehicles. These arrests and convictions underscore a rigorous judicial push to clear backlogs of criminal cases and deter property crimes.

As most of these suspects await further court appearances scheduled for mid-April 2026, the police have reaffirmed their commitment to intelligence-led policing and community collaboration. Law enforcement officials are urging the public to provide information regarding fugitives still at large, including an individual linked to the Dzorwulu robbery and the masked gunmen in Sissala East. The recent deployment of reinforcements to volatile areas like Nkwanta reflects a broader strategy to proactively manage communal conflicts and maintain public safety across the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Oti regions.