The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has announced the arrest of three suspects, who have been linked to the murder of the Kumasi Kusasi Chief at Asowase, Kumasi.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Commander, DCOP Joseph Nyaaba, briefing the media on Tuesday, March 17,2026, mentioned the three suspects as Jamil Usman (alias Babamu ,alia s Guru, Suleman Yasir Arafat (alias Obasanjo), and Ashaidu Sumbieda (alias Eyeshadow).
He said arrangements are underway to hand the three suspects over to the Ashanti Regional Police Command for further investigation.
“In the course of the operation, Police recovered the following weapons and ammunition:
1. Two (2) AK47 assault rifles.
2. One(1) pump action gun.
3. Two(2) pistols.
4. Forty-four(44) rounds of 32 ammunition.
5. Twenty-four(24) rounds of 9mm ammunition.
During the last briefing, the Police reported on an intelligence-led operation by the Ashanti South Regional Police Command, during which a gang of armed men was engaged on the Obuasi-Dunkwa highway.
In the ensuing exchange of fire, two suspects, David Aheto aged 42 and Illiasu Bawa aged 32, sustained fatal gunshot wounds. Weapons and ammunition were recovered at the scene, and four suspects, namely Abdallah Alhassan, Jemini Usman alias Babamu, Aminu Iddrisu alias 0244, and Daniel Debrah, were subsequently arrested.
Police continued investigations and follow-ups intelligence operations have resulted in further arrests, the recovery of a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition and the identification of individuals linked to the murder of the Kusasi Chief at Asowase, Kumasi.
DCOP Nyaaba disclosed that, subsequent intelligence-led operations, building on the earlier arrests reported at their last briefing, has brought the total number of suspects in custody to twelve.
He mentioned the additional suspects as Illiasu Dauda, Majeed Issaka Jibril, Gafar Ibrahim, Mohammed Mumuni alias Mama, Tanko Malik alias Bronze, Mohammed Bawa alias Mallam.
Others include Alhassan Abdallah, Jamil Usman alias Babamu alias Guru, Suleman Yasir Arafat alias Obasanjo among others.
Nine of the twelve suspects are currently on remand.
He said one key suspect, Illiasu alias Abodam remains at large and efforts are underway to arrest him and other members of the gang who have since gone into hiding.
“The service remains committed to recovering all firearms believed to still be in the possession of the network. I wish to highlight that the scale of weapons recovered, the number of arrests made, and the links established to the Asawase case underscore the seriousness and effectiveness of this operation. The service reaffirms its zero-tolerance stance against armed robbery and the unlawful possession and trading of firearms and will continue to pursue all individuals involved in such criminal networks with the full force of the law.
On behalf of the Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno, I wish to commend all officers who took part in this operation and who continue to discharge their duties with dedication and professionalism in safeguarding lives and property. Your commitment remains critical to the success of our operations.
We are also grateful to members of the public who continue to support our operations with credible and timely intelligence. We encourage the public to report any information on the whereabouts of Illiasu alias Abodam, or any individual involved in the illegal trade of firearms, to the nearest police station,” he said.
By Benjamin Aidoo
