A 58-year-old Wildlife Resource Guard with the Kakum Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission has been allegedly shot dead by a suspected poacher during a patrol operation in the Assin South District of the Central Region.
The incident occurred on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the Assin Kruwa portion of the Kakum Forest Reserve.
The deceased, Richard Otwey, was said to be on patrol with two other forestry guards when they encountered two men allegedly hunting inside the protected reserve without lawful authority.
Police said they received information about the shooting at about 8:25 a.m. on Saturday, and proceeded to the scene with officials of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission.
At the scene, 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 spent cartridge, footprints and a single-barrel gun were recovered from the area and have been preserved as exhibits.
Preliminary enquiries indicate that the guards attempted to arrest the two men, identified as Bukari Abudu and John Mensah, when Abudu allegedly pulled out a single-barrel gun and shot Otwey, killing him instantly.
The two suspects reportedly fled into the forest after the shooting, but the patrol team pursued them and arrested John Mensah.
Bukari Abudu is currently on the run, with police mounting a search to apprehend him.
The body of the deceased has been conveyed to the Abura Dunkwa Government Hospital morgue for preservation and examination.
The Central North Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Edmund Agyemang Badu, has confirmed the incident, stating that the arrested suspect is in custody to assist 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 volunteer information that could lead to the arrest of the fleeing suspect.
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