'Kwaku Ninja and Taller': The tragic death of two heroic police officers in 1998

They were two of the Ghana Police Service's notable officers until the icy hands of death snatched them in November 1998. The shock, disbelief and anguish that gutted the Service, and the entire nation, could literally be felt on the skin.

Owusu Sekyere, popularly known as ‘Kwaku Ninja’, and Jerry Wornu, also known as ‘Taller’, had been gruesomely murdered in the line of duty.

Reports at the time showed that the two officers had been killed by land guards at Ablekuma, a suburb in Accra, over an alleged piece of land.

The two police constables, who were attached to the Striking Force Unit of the Ghana Police Service, had gained popularity for their unrelenting efforts in combating crime and arresting very notorious criminals.

Kwaku Ninja, for instance, was known to be a mixed martial artist who helped to train other cadets and officers in the police force. His exceptional dedication to the art of self-defence earned him a slot on the famous ‘Sport Highlights’ show that usually aired on Mondays on GTV.

Owusu Sekyere’s segment of the show became very popular as it helped many viewers acquire a skill or two in self-defence, while many viewers of the programme grew very attached to his style and his teachings whenever it aired.

Years on, Kwaku Ninja and his partner, Taller, quickly became the symbol of strength and power in the fight against crime in the Ghana Police Service and in extension, their unit [Striking Force] became a nightmare for many criminals at the time.

Unfortunately for them, they met their untimely death after it was reported that were lynched by a mob who had the backing of some land guards in Accra.

While the real reason behind their murder may not be known due to several different accounts given, the widely known story is that they were on a mission to inspect a piece of land which was said to have belonged to Kwaku Ninja.

Upon arriving at the site, it is reported that some land guards there had a bone to pick with the pair over their heroic efforts in combating some of their illegal activities. This, however, escalated into a physical confrontation between the officers and the land guards.

The land guards were said to have outnumbered the pair, resulting in the killing of Constable Wornu [Taller], whereas Kwaku Ninja managed to escape the scene.

Varying accounts of the incident suggest that Kwaku Ninja, during his escape, managed to hang onto the bucket of a moving truck when he was being chased by the mob, but suddenly fell off, dying on the spot.

One of the suspects involved in the confrontation was named as Kwasi Kwei, also known as ‘Kwei-Kwei’. He was arrested by the police along with another accomplice named ‘Terminator,’ over the death of Constable Wornu and Owusu Sekyere.

The two suspects, according to the police, later confessed to the murders of the two police constables. They also told the police they had earlier gone ahead to dig a hole for the bodies of Kwaku Ninja and Taller to be buried in.

According to the police, the body of Kwaku Ninja and Taller were buried at different locations in the community, including an uncompleted building.

Their remains were later exhumed by the police administration for autopsy and burial.

The suspects along with other accomplices, were later arrested and convicted for their crimes.

Kwaku Ninja is said to have left behind a daughter, who currently resides in the United States of America.

This story was first published by GhanaWeb on April 22, 2023

MA/DA