A 58 year old Wildlife Resource Guard, Richard Otwey, has been killed after a suspected poacher allegedly opened fire on him during a patrol operation at the Kakum Forest Reserve in the Assin South District of the Central Region.
Mr Otwey, who served with the Kakum Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, was conducting a routine patrol alongside two other wildlife guards when the team reportedly encountered two men allegedly hunting within the protected forest.
The fatal incident occurred on Saturday, August 22, 2026, in the Assin Kruwa section of the reserve.
The police were alerted to the shooting at approximately 8:25 a.m. and subsequently travelled to the location together with officials from the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission.
When the joint team arrived at the scene, they discovered the body of Mr Otwey beneath a wawa tree, approximately 60 metres from the reserve boundary. He had sustained a gunshot injury to the chest.
Investigators subsequently searched the surrounding area and recovered a spent cartridge, footprints and a single barrel firearm believed to be connected to the incident. The items have since been secured as exhibits as investigations continue.
Preliminary police investigations indicate that the forestry guards attempted to apprehend two individuals identified as Bukari Abudu and John Mensah after allegedly discovering them hunting inside the protected area without lawful authorisation.
According to the preliminary account, Mr Abudu allegedly produced a single barrel gun during the attempted arrest and fired at Mr Otwey, fatally injuring him.
The two suspects reportedly escaped into the forest following the shooting. The patrol team pursued them, however, and succeeded in apprehending John Mensah.
Mr Abudu, meanwhile, managed to evade capture and remains at large as the police intensify efforts to locate and arrest him.
Following the incident, the body of the deceased was transported to the mortuary at the Abura Dunkwa Government Hospital, where it was deposited for preservation and further examination.
The Central North Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Edmund Agyemang Badu, has confirmed the incident and disclosed that the arrested suspect remains in police custody to assist investigators with their enquiries.
“The Police can confirm the killing, but we cannot comment further as investigations are ongoing,” Chief Superintendent Agyemang Badu said.
The police have consequently appealed to members of the public to provide credible information that could assist investigators in locating and apprehending the suspect who remains at large.
The incident has also renewed concerns over the dangers confronting wildlife and forestry personnel who patrol protected areas and confront individuals suspected of engaging in illegal hunting and other activities within Ghana’s forest reserves.
SOURCE: Citinewsroom
