The Akamani family gathered for a conference call on September 18, 2026, to discuss sending a delegation to a funeral in Ghana's Upper East Region. Dr Kofi Akamani, a family member, joined from the US and bid farewell, little did they know it would be their last conversation. His sister noticed he was unusually quiet that evening, a stark contrast to his usual loud and expressive self. The next day, Kofi was shot and pronounced dead in the US.
Kofi, one of six children, was a dependable figure for his family, with roots in northern Ghana. His mother hailed from Kologo, near Navrongo, while his father was from Biu, a Builsa community in the Upper East Region. Kofi's academic and professional work centered on environmental science, forests, biodiversity, and natural resources. His family and former schoolmates remember different sides of Kofi, the elder brother, the student, and the academic.
On September 26, 2026, five former students of Osei Tutu Secondary School visited the Akamani family to mourn and pay respects to their former schoolmate. They remembered Kofi as quiet, disciplined, humble, and respectful, qualities that remained with him as he grew older. Samuel Duncan, Ashanti Central Zone Head of OmniBSIC Bank, recalled Kofi as one of the youngest students in their class, who spent much time studying and rarely got into trouble.
Kofi's final hours were connected to his two children. He and his wife had been separated for about two years, awaiting final divorce and custody proceedings. According to information gathered by JoyNews, the couple shared custody, with Kofi scheduled to spend time with the children on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Prosecutors alleged that Kofi was shot as he drove away from his wife's residence after dropping off the children.
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reported that deputies responded to a shooting near a residence off Lake Road, between Murphysboro and Carbondale, at about 5 pm on September 19, 2026. Kofi, 48, was taken to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, where he was pronounced dead from injuries sustained in the shooting. His wife, Betty Akamani, 35, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of endangering the life or health of a child.
For Kofi's family in Ghana, the first news of his death came through a telephone call from a family member living in the US. A younger relative received the news and traveled from Sunyani to Akropong to inform the rest of the family. The family elders, accompanied by a Catholic priest, then went to Kofi's 87-year-old father to formally break the news.
Kofi's family and former schoolmates continue to mourn his tragic death. His legacy as a dependable elder brother, a humble student, and an academic who contributed to international research on forests and natural resources lives on. Key points: Kofi Akamani was shot dead in the US on September 19, 2026; his wife, Betty Akamani, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder; and Kofi's family in Ghana received news of his death through a telephone call.
Key points
- Dr Kofi Akamani, a Ghanaian environmental scientist, was shot dead in the US on September 19, 2026.
- Kofi's wife, Betty Akamani, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of endangering the life or health of a child.
- Kofi's family in Ghana received news of his death through a telephone call from a family member living in the US.
