The Bono Regional Police Command in Ghana has arrested eight suspects in connection with the alleged assault of a 21-year-old man, Godstime Umukoro, as part of his initiation into internet fraud, locally known as sakawa. The incident occurred on October 4, 2026, at Kotokrom in the Sunyani West Municipality. A police patrol team responded to a distress call and found the victim with multiple assault marks on his body. The suspects were arrested at the scene.
According to the police, the suspects admitted to beating Umukoro as a condition of his entry into their internet fraud operation. They also claimed that they had undergone the same process when they joined the group. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were brought into Ghana by an individual identified as Nwachukwu King Augustine, described as their chairman. The group allegedly used downloaded photographs of foreign military personnel to conduct online scams.
The suspects posed as soldiers serving on the war front in Yemen, using those personas to solicit money from unsuspecting victims. Funds collected were paid into an account belonging to the group's leader, referred to as the "Boss." The police have commended members of the public for their swift intervention, which helped officers reach the scene and make the arrests.
The Bono Regional Police Command has urged residents to sustain their cooperation with police in efforts to combat crime across the region. The allegations against the eight suspects have not been tested in court, and the suspects had not been independently reached for comment at the time of publication.
The victim, Godstime Umukoro, was found with multiple assault marks on his body after a patrol team responded to a distress call on October 4, 2026. The police patrol team arrived at the scene at approximately 4:30 p.m. and made eight arrests. The incident has raised concerns about the activities of internet fraud groups in the region.
The police have revealed that the suspects used a specific modus operandi to defraud their victims. They downloaded photographs of foreign military personnel and posed as soldiers deployed to Yemen. This allowed them to gain the trust of their victims and solicit money from them.
The Bono Regional Police Command's efforts to combat crime have been commended by the public. The police have called for sustained cooperation from residents in the region to help them tackle the menace of internet fraud and other crimes. The eight suspects are currently in police custody, and further investigations are ongoing.
Key points
- Eight suspects arrested in Ghana for assaulting a 21-year-old man as part of a sakawa initiation ritual.
- The suspects posed as soldiers serving in Yemen to defraud victims online.
- The police have commended the public for their role in helping to arrest the suspects.
