Ghana’s Inspector-General of Police has announced the dismantling of the Duku Syndicate, a carjacking gang responsible for the murder of Andrews Amankwaa Karikari, father-in-law of Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi, and at least one other fatal robbery in the Ashanti Region, with four suspects in custody and the group’s alleged ringleader shot dead during a night-time police operation.
Inspector-General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno briefed the media at the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters in Kumasi on Monday, February 23, 2026, confirming that the coordinated intelligence-led operation had resulted in the arrests and the death of the syndicate’s leader.
Amankwaa Karikari was shot at his residence at the Ohwim Tigo Junction area in Kumasi on the evening of Friday, February 13, 2026. He had reportedly just arrived home and was opening his gate when armed attackers shot him and stole his Toyota Hilux pickup truck, registration number GN 6647-25. Despite intensive medical treatment, he succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday, February 18, five days after the attack. His death sent shockwaves through the Gyamfi family and intensified public concern about armed robbery in Kumasi.
The IGP said he immediately constituted a special operations team comprising the Ashanti Regional Commander, the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate, the Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team, and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Anti-Armed Robbery Unit. The first breakthrough came on February 18 with the arrest of Akwasi Manu, a 47-year-old farmer, found in possession of a Samsung mobile phone belonging to the deceased. Manu was charged with possession of stolen property and remanded by the Asokwa Circuit Court II pending reappearance on March 5. On February 19, Bashiru Tanko, also known as TK, aged 33, was arrested at Atonsu. Intelligence suggested he was sidelined from the fatal Ohwim-Amanfrom operation due to an internal financial dispute within the syndicate. On February 21, Kwadwo Amponsah, alias Kamakazi, aged 35, was arrested at Hireso near Buankra, and his interrogation provided critical intelligence linking the syndicate to multiple violent robberies involving Toyota Hilux vehicles in Kumasi.
On the night of February 22, the alleged leader of the syndicate, Eric Antwi Duku, aged 42, sustained gunshot wounds during the police operation and was later pronounced dead. Items recovered from him included a pistol, live ammunition, a tracking detection device, forged vehicle documents, and a Toyota Corolla saloon car. Later that same night, Emmanuel Kwame Appiah, also known as Taller, aged 38, was arrested at Danyame in Kumasi. Police said he acted as the syndicate’s driver during the fatal Ohwim-Amanfrom robbery.
Police linked the suspects to at least two fatal robberies in the Ashanti Region, including the February 10 killing of Amankwaa and a separate attack at Kronum in which a Toyota Hilux belonging to the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) was stolen. The syndicate is reported to have conducted prior surveillance on victims before striking and had in recent months escalated to the use of lethal force.
Amankwaa Karikari was the father of Irene Amankwaa Karikari, who married Sammy Gyamfi at a semi-private ceremony in Accra in December 2022.
