Kanton SHS teacher arrested for poaching at Mole National Park

A notorious poacher, who traveled over 100 kilometers from Tumu in the Upper West Region to Mole National Park in the Savannah Region, has been arrested by park staff for poaching.

The poacher, identified as Johah Forkah, a 42-year-old native of Sorbelle in the Sissala-West District of the Upper West Region, is a teacher at Kanton Senior High School.

After his arrest, he revealed that he had taken permission from his school to attend to some personal matters at home. Subsequently, he was invited by a friend, known as C. K., from the Grumbelle community in the Wa-East District, to join in poaching. Johah Forkah, along with another friend named Lukeman, accepted the invitation without hesitation.

On Saturday, June 22, 2024, they illegally entered the park and established a poaching camp within the Gbanwelle area.

The following day, during their poaching expedition, they killed a warthog. Lukeman was tasked with transporting the carcass back to their camp while Johah Forkah and C. K. continued hunting.

After several hours of unsuccessful hunting, they decided to return to their camp.

Upon their arrival, they were confronted by park rangers who had discovered the camp and set up an ambush approximately 100 meters away.

The rangers commanded them to surrender, but they fled. Following a pursuit, Johah Forkah was apprehended.