Police have arrested a suspected poacher in connection with the killing of a 58-year-old Wildlife Resource Guard at the Kakum Forest Reserve in the Assin South District of the Central Region.
The deceased, Richard Otwey, was attached to the Kakum Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission and was shot dead during a patrol operation on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
According to preliminary police enquiries, Otwey and two other forestry guards encountered two men allegedly hunting inside the protected forest at the Assin Kruwa portion of the reserve.
The guards reportedly attempted to arrest the men, identified as Bukari Abudu and John Mensah, after allegedly finding them hunting without lawful authority.
Police said Bukari Abudu pulled out a single-barrel gun and fired at Otwey, killing him instantly.
The two suspects reportedly fled into the forest, but the patrol team pursued them and managed to arrest John Mensah.
Bukari Abudu remains at large, with police mounting efforts to apprehend him.
Police received information about the shooting at about 8:25 a.m. and proceeded to the scene with officials from the Forestry Commission’s Wildlife Division.
Upon arrival, the team found Otwey’s body lying under a wawa tree, about 60 metres from the boundary of the reserve, with a gunshot wound to the chest.
A search of the area led to the recovery of a spent cartridge, footprints and a single-barrel gun, which have been preserved as exhibits.
The body was subsequently conveyed to the Abura Dunkwa Government Hospital morgue for preservation and further examination.
The Central North Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Edmund Agyemang Badu, confirmed the incident and said the arrested suspect had been detained to assist with investigations.
“The Police can confirm the killing, but we cannot comment further as investigations are ongoing,” he said.
Police have appealed to the public to provide any information that could lead to the arrest of the fleeing suspect.
Source:- channel1news.com
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