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. He was on patrol with two other forestry guards when the team allegedly encountered two men hunting illegally inside the protected forest.
According to the Central North Police Command, the guards attempted to apprehend the suspects, identified as Bukari Abudu and John Mensah. Abudu allegedly pulled out a single-barrel gun and opened fire, hitting Otwey in the chest. He died at the scene.
The remaining members of the patrol team pursued the suspects through the forest and managed to arrest John Mensah, who was later handed over to the police and is assisting with investigations. Bukari Abudu escaped and remains at large. Police and forestry authorities have intensified efforts to track him down.
Police received the report at about 8:25 a.m. and proceeded to the scene together with officials from the Wildlife Division. Investigators found Otwey’s body lying beneath a wawa tree, approximately 60 metres from the reserve boundary. A spent cartridge, footprints and the single-barrel firearm believed to have been used in the attack were recovered and retained as exhibits.
The Central North Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Edmund Agyemang Badu, confirmed the incident but declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Kakum Forest Reserve, one of Ghana’s most important protected areas and a major tourist attraction known for its canopy walkway, continues to face persistent threats from illegal hunting. Authorities have not yet issued any additional public statements on the case.
