By Grace Zigah
The Cybercrime Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Police Service, in a joint intelligence-led operation with the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), has arrested a 36-year-old businessman from East Legon over allegations of drugging women, recording explicit videos without their consent, and distributing the content online.
The suspect, identified as Joshua Kojo Anane Boate, is alleged to have operated a Telegram platform known as “VIP Sleep Fetish 2025,” where videos involving women believed to have been sedated were circulated.
Addressing journalists at the CID Headquarters in Accra on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, the Director-General of the CID, Lydia Yaako Donkor, said the arrest forms part of ongoing investigations into online sexual exploitation and cyber-enabled abuse targeting vulnerable persons.
According to COP Donkor, the suspect was arrested on May 6, 2026, following coordinated investigations conducted by officers from the CID Cybercrime Unit in collaboration with national security operatives.
Preliminary investigations, according to the police, suggest that the suspect allegedly frequented nightclubs in Accra during 2025, where he approached women and allegedly administered Alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, before abusing and filming them while they were unconscious or unable to respond.
Police further alleged that the recordings and images were later shared on the Telegram platform without the knowledge or permission of the victims.
The case has triggered renewed concerns about the growing use of social media and encrypted messaging platforms in cyber-enabled exploitation and abuse cases in Ghana.
Devices And Suspected Substances Retrieved
The CID disclosed that a search conducted at the suspect’s residence led to the retrieval of several electronic devices believed to be relevant to the investigation.
Items reportedly seized include two iPhones, a feature phone, a memory card, a Seagate external hard drive, a MacBook laptop, and an iSave storage device.
Investigators also recovered empty sachets believed to have contained Alprazolam and Midazolam, another sedative medication commonly referred to as Versed.
COP Donkor explained that all electronic devices recovered during the operation have been retained for digital forensic examination to assist with investigations.
The suspected drug sachets, she said, would also be submitted to the Food and Drugs Authority for scientific analysis and identification.
The CID boss confirmed that the suspect has since been arraigned before the court while investigations continue.
The Ghana Police Service has meanwhile appealed to the public to promptly report suspected cases of online exploitation, cyber abuse, and related criminal activities through the nearest police station or approved reporting channels.
