Wildlife guard shot dead during patrol in Kakum

A routine patrol in the Kakum Forest Reserve turned deadly after a wildlife resource guard was allegedly shot and killed by a suspected poacher in the Assin Kruwa area of the Central Region.

The deceased, 58-year-old Richard Otwey, was an officer with the Kakum Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission.

He was patrolling the reserve with two other guards on Saturday, August 22, 2026, when they reportedly encountered two men suspected of engaging in illegal hunting.

According to the Central North Police Command, the officers attempted to arrest the suspects, identified as Bukari Abudu and John Mensah.

During the encounter, Abudu allegedly pulled out a single-barrel gun and fired at the patrol team, hitting Otwey in the chest. He died at the scene, according to a myjoyonline.com report.

The other guards pursued the suspects through the forest and managed to arrest Mensah, who was later handed over to the police to assist with investigations.

Abudu, however, escaped and remains at large. Police and Forestry Commission officials have intensified efforts to track him down.

Investigators who visited the scene, located about 60 metres from the boundary of the forest reserve, recovered a spent cartridge, footprints and the single-barrel firearm believed to have been used in the shooting.

Central North Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Edmund Agyemang Badu, confirmed the killing but said the police could not provide further details because investigations were ongoing.

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

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The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Abura Dunkwa Government Hospital Mortuary for preservation and post-mortem examination.

The killing has renewed concerns about the dangers faced by wildlife and forestry officers who patrol protected areas, particularly where illegal hunting remains a challenge.

Police have appealed to the public to provide any information that could help locate and arrest Abudu as investigations and the manhunt continue.

DR/MA