Wildlife guard shot dead during Kakum patrol

A routine patrol in the Kakum Forest Reserve ended in tragedy on Saturday, August 22, 2026, after a wildlife resource guard was allegedly shot dead by a suspected poacher in the Assin Kruwa area of the Central Region.

The deceased, identified as 58-year-old Richard Otwey, was attached to the Kakum Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission and was on patrol with two other guards when the incident occurred.

According to the Central North Police Command, the patrol team encountered two men allegedly engaged in illegal hunting inside the protected forest.

The guards reportedly attempted to apprehend the men, identified as Bukari Abudu and John Mensah, but Abudu allegedly pulled out a single-barrel gun and fired at the officers.

Otwey was hit in the chest and died at the scene.

After the shooting, the patrol team pursued the suspects through the forest, managing to apprehend Mensah.

He was subsequently handed over to the police and is assisting with investigations.

Abudu, however, managed to escape into the forest and was still at large as of the latest update.

The police and forestry authorities have since intensified efforts to locate him.

Investigators who visited the scene, located about 60 metres from the reserve boundary and beneath a wawa tree, reportedly recovered a spent cartridge, footprints and the single-barrel firearm allegedly used in the attack.

The Central North Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Edmund Agyemang Badu, confirmed the incident but declined to disclose further details because of the ongoing investigation.

"The Police can confirm the killing, but we cannot comment further as investigations are ongoing," Chief Superintendent Agyemang Badu stated.

Otwey's remains have been conveyed to the Abura Dunkwa Government Hospital Mortuary, where they have been deposited for preservation and post-mortem examination.

The incident has raised fresh concerns about the risks faced by personnel who patrol Ghana's forest reserves, particularly in areas where illegal hunting and other activities continue to pose threats to protected wildlife and those tasked with safeguarding the forests.

The police have appealed to residents and others with information that could lead to the arrest of Abudu to assist the investigation.

Authorities are particularly interested in information on his whereabouts as the manhunt continues.

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