C/R: Wildlife Guard shot dead by suspected poacher at Kakum Forest Reserve

A 58-year-old Wildlife Resource Guard, Richard Otwey, has been shot dead during a patrol operation at the Kakum Forest Reserve in the Assin South District of the Central Region.

The deceased, who was attached to the Kakum Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, was reportedly on patrol with two other guards when they encountered two men allegedly hunting illegally inside the protected forest.

The incident occurred on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the Assin Kruwa section of the reserve.

Police received information about the shooting at about 8:25 a.m. and proceeded to the scene together with officials from the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission.

Upon arrival, the team found Otwey’s body lying beneath a wawa tree, approximately 60 metres from the reserve’s boundary. He had sustained a gunshot wound to the chest.

A search of the area led to the recovery of a spent cartridge, footprints and a single-barrel gun, which have been retained as exhibits as investigations continue.

One Suspect Arrested
Preliminary police investigations indicate that the forestry guards attempted to arrest two men, identified as Bukari Abudu and John Mensah, after allegedly finding them hunting in the reserve without authorisation.

Police said Abudu allegedly pulled out a single-barrel gun and fired at Otwey, killing him instantly, before the two men fled into the forest.

The patrol team pursued the suspects and managed to apprehend John Mensah, while Abudu escaped and remains at large.

The body of the deceased was conveyed to the Abura Dunkwa Government Hospital morgue for preservation and further examination.

Central North Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Edmund Agyemang Badu, confirmed the incident and said the arrested suspect was assisting the Police with investigations.

“The Police can confirm the killing, but we cannot comment further as investigations are ongoing,” he said.

Police have launched efforts to arrest the fleeing suspect and are appealing to members of the public with information on his whereabouts to assist the investigation.