BY Grace Zigah
A major police investigation has uncovered an alleged criminal syndicate involving individuals posing as security officers and accused of carrying out a string of high-value armed robberies targeting gold dealers and investors across several parts of Ghana.
The operation, which has led to the arrest of seven suspects, has also implicated serving members of both the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces, prompting disciplinary action and raising fresh concerns about the abuse of security identities in organized criminal activities.
According to police investigations, the case began after an Ivorian national and gold investor, Mousa Bamba, lodged a complaint alleging that he had been lured to Dzorwulu in Accra under the pretext of purchasing six kilograms of gold valued at approximately US$450,000.
Police say that upon arriving at the agreed location, the investor was confronted by individuals posing as Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers and military personnel. The suspects allegedly robbed him at gunpoint before fleeing the scene with the valuables.
The complaint triggered an extensive police investigation that led to the initial arrest of Mohammed Umaro, also known as Alhaji, and Gabriel Sewornu. Subsequent investigations allegedly uncovered links between the suspects and several serving security officers.
Police identified the implicated military personnel as Lance Corporal Eugene Akurugu and Lance Corporal Emmanuel Arko. Investigators also named three serving police officers—Inspector Richmond Osei, Corporal Gideon Anor, and Lance Corporal Felix Deku Tetteyga—as persons connected to the ongoing investigations.
The Ghana Police Service has since interdicted the three police officers pending the outcome of investigations, in line with internal disciplinary procedures governing personnel suspected of criminal conduct.
Further intelligence gathered by investigators suggests that the alleged syndicate may have been operating across multiple regions of the country. Police say the group has been linked to a number of robbery incidents reported in Tema, Anyinam, Kumasi, and Takoradi.
Victims in those incidents were reportedly deprived of large sums of money, quantities of gold, and mercury used in mining operations.
As investigations expanded, intelligence-led operations coordinated by the Office of the Special Operations Assistant to the Inspector-General of Police on May 23 and 24, 2026, resulted in the arrest of three additional suspects.
The suspects were identified as Justin Oduro, popularly known by the aliases “Don King” and “Mafia,” Clement Gyasi, and Farouk Zakari.
Police believe the arrests have significantly disrupted the operations of the alleged criminal network, although investigators say efforts are continuing to identify and apprehend other accomplices believed to be connected to the robberies.
