The Ghana Police Service has announced a major breakthrough in two high-profile violent crime cases in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality of the Bono East Region, with the arrest of several suspects including a sitting traditional ruler in connection with the assassination of a queen mother and a deadly armed robbery at a fuel station.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohonu disclosed the developments at a press briefing on Thursday, May 22, 2026, revealing that sustained intelligence-led operations in the Atebubu enclave had yielded significant results in dismantling criminal networks that had long terrorized the area.
Murder of the Abamba Queen Mother
The Queenmother of Abamba, Nana Serwaa Gyan Kuma popularly known as the proprietress of Ohema’s Kitchen, a well-known restaurant in Atebubu was shot dead on 25 February 2026 after returning home from work. She was attacked and shot multiple times as she alighted from her vehicle at her residence.
Officers who responded to the scene recovered three spent 9mm cartridges.
A post-mortem conducted on 23 May 2026 by Dr Ernest Boakye of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital confirmed that she died from massive hemorrhage caused by gunshot wounds.
Initial suspicion pointed to robbery, but that theory was quickly dispelled. Further checks indicated that some of the deceased queen mother’s valuables including handbags, an iPhone 17, and other personal belongings were left untouched at the crime scene, with eyewitnesses saying the assailants fled immediately after the shooting.
The Breakthrough: A Confession in Kasoa
The critical breakthrough in the case came after suspects arrested in Kasoa for preparing to commit robbery were interrogated. During questioning, one suspect, Abdul Razak Ibrahim Langa, alias Zak, disclosed knowledge of the queen mother’s killing, claiming he was present when she was shot and had decided to confess.
Further interrogation led police to identify Nana Yaw Bediako, alias Nana Yaw, as the alleged shooter. Nana Yaw Bediako subsequently confessed and named Nana Owusu Sankofi II also known as Charles Kofi Owusu, the chief of Akokoa as the person who allegedly contracted them to kill the queen mother for GH¢50,000.
Investigators also linked a convicted inmate, Ishaku Alhassan, alias Sule Yagani, currently serving a sentence at Ankaful Maximum Security Prison, as an intermediary in the alleged murder plot. Two other suspects, Raymond Agyemang Darko, identified as the Abakomahene of Akokoa, and Bukari Amadu, a driver, were also arrested.
Motive: Land and Traditional Leadership Disputes
A further suspect brought in from prison allegedly told investigators that he was contacted to facilitate the killing due to disputes over land and traditional leadership in Abamba, and that funds were transferred to procure the weapons used in the crime.
Sources familiar with the dispute say the late queen mother had been involved in a legal battle over land within the Abamba Traditional Area, with the Amantin traditional leadership implicated in the background of the conflict.
Financial Trail and Digital Evidence
Investigations further revealed that the murder was allegedly arranged through intermediaries, with funds transferred via mobile money channels. Police say GH¢21,000 was used to procure a pistol and ammunition, while additional payments were made after the killing. Forensic examination of phones reportedly showed communication between key suspects before and after the crime using a SIM card procured specifically for the operation.
Crime Scene Reconstruction
On May 19, a joint police team escorted suspects to Atebubu for a reconstruction of the crime scene, where they allegedly demonstrated how the attack was carried out. Police say the suspects explained that they ambushed the queen mother and followed her to her residence before opening fire. After the attack, they reportedly fled to a hotel near the Atebubu market before travelling to Accra the following morning.
Chief Allegedly Attempts to Bribe Officers
During the arrest of the Akokoa chief, Nana Owusu Sankofi II, he allegedly attempted to offer GH¢200,000 to officers to avoid detention, making an immediate payment of GH¢100,000 which has since been retained as evidence. Bono East Regional Police Commander Osei Shaibu confirmed that five main suspects are currently in custody assisting with investigations, while three others have been arraigned before the Techiman District Court and remanded.
The Filling Station Attack
The queen mother’s murder was not the only violent crime in the Atebubu enclave that police addressed at Thursday’s briefing. On May 2, 2026, armed men stormed a fuel station at Sampa near Jato Zongo in the Atebubu District. The assailants shot and killed two people, injured others, and made away with cash from the attendant.
On the May 2 armed robbery attack at the GB filling station, the IGP said eight suspects, including two women, had so far been arrested. Three suspects Adam Ademu, 27, Suley Amadu, 22, and Abdulai Ali, 45 remain in police custody, while three others, Abdul Razak Osman, Nuhum Awudu, and Dauda Issa, were also detained in connection with the attack.
IGP Vows Sustained Operations
Addressing the media, the IGP reaffirmed the police service’s commitment to restoring security across the Atebubu municipality, noting that the area had long been plagued by violent criminal activity. “These operations will continue so that law-abiding citizens of the town can live their lives and carry out their normal business activities without any fear of criminal attacks,” he said.
The IGP added that continued security operations in Atebubu had made it progressively difficult for criminals to operate freely in the area, with intelligence-led swoops, patrols, and deployments leading to multiple arrests, with some suspects engaging police in shootouts.
The twin breakthroughs represent a significant moment for the residents of Atebubu-Amantin, a municipality that has endured repeated violent incidents over the past year. Investigators say efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest any remaining persons connected to both cases.
Additional reporting sourced from MyJoyOnline, Adom Online, The Ghanaian Chronicle, and The Herald Ghana.
Mustapha Bature Sallama.
Medical/ Science Communicator,
Private Investigator, Criminal investigation and Intelligence Analysis.
International Conflict Management and Peace Building.USIP
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