Kumasi, Feb. 23, – The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Christian Tetteh Yohonu, has reaffirmed the determination of the Ghana Police Service to dismantle organised criminal networks and ensure perpetrators face justice.
He said intensified surveillance, intelligence-led operations and targeted interventions would continue to disrupt the activities of armed robbery and car-jacking syndicates across the country.
Mr Yohonu was addressing a press conference in Kumasi following a coordinated operation by the Ashanti Regional Police Command which led to the arrest of members of a gang identified as the “Duku syndicate.”
The operation, carried out on February 18 and 22, 2026, resulted in the arrest of four suspects linked to the killing of Mr Andrews Amankwaah at Ohwim Amanfrom near Kumasi on February 10, 2026.
The alleged leader of the gang, Eric Antwi Duku, sustained gunshot wounds during the police operation and was later pronounced dead at a health facility.
The other suspects — Akwasi Manu, Bashiru Tanko, Kwadwo Amponsah and Emmanuel Kwame Appea — were apprehended at various hideouts, including Atonsu, Hwereso near Boankra and Danyame near the military barracks.
Police investigations indicate that the syndicate specialised in snatching pick-up vehicles and Toyota Land Cruisers, particularly black and ash-coloured models, which were allegedly transported for sale through contacts at Paga.
The gang is also believed to have maintained links in Offinso and Dubai, as well as collaborators at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), who allegedly facilitated forged vehicle documentation.
Mr Yohonu disclosed that the group had been connected to similar robbery incidents in Tarkwa, Kumasi and other parts of the Ashanti Region, and had previously been declared wanted by the Western Central Regional Command in Tarkwa.
He explained that the gang’s method involved trailing targeted victims and striking at opportune moments, often resorting to gunfire when victims resisted.
According to the IGP, intelligence suggested the group had planned another operation in Tarkwa on Monday, February 23, 2026, but their plans were thwarted by the police action.
The IGP extended condolences to the family of the deceased victim and commended officers and members of the public who provided crucial information.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Osei Akoto Arthur, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, said items retrieved during the operation included a Bruni Mod 84 pistol, eight rounds of live ammunition, a tracking device, forged vehicle documents and a Toyota Corolla S belonging to the deceased gang leader.
He said the exhibits had been forwarded for forensic and ballistic analysis to determine their connection to other criminal cases.
GHBUSS
23 Feb. 2026
No comments:
Post a Comment