Richard Otwey: Tragic Incident at Kakum Forest Sparks Fear As Police Speak
- A Wildlife Resource Guard, Richard Otwey, 58, was killed by a suspected poacher at the Kakum Forest Reserve in Ghana's Central Region on Saturday, August 22, 2026
- Otwey and two colleagues encountered two men hunting illegally in the protected reserve when one of the suspects opened fire on him
- One suspect, John Mensah, has been arrested and detained, while Bukari Abudu remains at large as police appeal for public help
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A wildlife guard has lost his life in the line of duty after a confrontation with suspected illegal hunters inside a protected Ghanaian forest turned fatal.
Source: UGC
Richard Otwey, 58, a Wildlife Resource Guard attached to the Kakum Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, died on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the Assin Kruwa section of the Kakum Forest Reserve in the Assin South District of the Central Region.
What happened at Kakum Forest Reserve
Otwey was on a routine patrol alongside two colleagues when the group came across two men, later identified as Bukari Abudu and John Mensah, carrying out hunting activities inside the protected reserve without any lawful authority.
As the forestry guards moved to apprehend the pair, Bukari Abudu produced a single-barrel firearm and discharged it at Otwey, killing him on the spot. Both men then fled deeper into the forest.
The patrol team gave chase and succeeded in detaining John Mensah. Bukari Abudu, however, managed to evade capture and remains at large.
Police received information about the incident at approximately 8:25 a.m. that Saturday and responded alongside officials from the Forestry Commission's Wildlife Division Law Enforcement Unit.
Upon reaching the scene, officers found Otwey's body beneath a 'wawa' tree, roughly 60 metres from the reserve's boundary. He had sustained a gunshot wound to the chest.
A search of the surrounding area resulted in the recovery of a spent cartridge, a single-barrel gun, and visible footprints, all of which have been preserved as exhibits.
Otwey's body was later transported to the Abura Dunkwa Government Hospital Mortuary for preservation and a scheduled autopsy.
Police urge public to help locate suspect
The Central North Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Edmund Agyemang Badu, confirmed that John Mensah remains in police custody to assist with ongoing investigations.
He called on members of the public to come forward with any information that could lead to the arrest of Bukari Abudu.
"The Police can confirm the killing, but we cannot comment further as investigations are ongoing," Chief Supt Badu shared in a report by Daily Guide on August 26, 2026.
The killing has cast a grim spotlight on the dangers faced by forest guards tasked with protecting Ghana's wildlife reserves from poaching and illegal activity.
Source: UGC
Former Justice Umaru Kalgo confirmed dead
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that retired Supreme Court Justice Umaru Atu Kalgo has died, prompting a heartfelt tribute from Senator Aminu Tambuwal, who represents Sokoto South in the Nigerian National Assembly.
Tambuwal, a former Governor of Sokoto State, took to his verified X account on Tuesday, 25 August, to honour the late jurist, whom he described as one of Nigeria's most distinguished legal minds and a recipient of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1965 and went on to serve as state counsel, Deputy Solicitor-General, and High Court Judge before becoming Chief Judge of Sokoto State.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
