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UNODC Ghana commends Interior Minister’s vision for Prison Service
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), led by the Officer-in-Charge of the UNODC Programme Office in Ghana, Mr. Christoph Capelle, paid a courtesy call on the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, where he commended the Minister’s vision for the Ghana Prisons Service.
During the meeting, Hon. Muntaka outlined plans for the Ghana Prisons Service, which include introducing technology for prison management, implementing prison agricultural projects, and establishing prison industrial projects.
The UNODC team was impressed by the Minister’s forward-thinking approach and assured him of their continued support and collaboration.
The UNODC team highlighted their ongoing and past projects, showcasing their commitment to supporting Ghana’s efforts in crime prevention and criminal justice reform, and presented the Nelson Mandela Toolkit to the Minister, a resource designed to promote humane prison management in line with international standards.
The Minister reaffirmed his commitment to aligning Ghana’s prison system with the Nelson Mandela Rules, a set of international guidelines for the treatment of prisoners. He assured the UNODC of his full support and pledged continued collaboration with the Ministry to advance these initiatives.
The meeting underscored a shared dedication to improving Ghana’s criminal justice system through innovation and adherence to global standards.
A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour by the Bekwai Circuit Court for his role in a 2022 robbery at a mining site at Manso Akwasiso in the Ashanti South Region.
The convict, Dominic Ofori, also known as Fanta, was arrested on 16th February 2026 after years on the run. He pleaded guilty before the Bekwai Circuit Court to robbery contrary to Section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 Act 29, and was accordingly sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.
On March 20, 2022, the Manso Adubia District Police received intelligence that a group of armed men from Manso Abodom were planning to attack a mining site at Manso Akwasiso to rob the owner of gold concentrate. Acting on the information, police mounted a coordinated operation and laid an ambush at the site.
At about 5:30 pm the same day, four-armed men arrived at the site, fired indiscriminately, and robbed the miners of their gold concentrate. The police team on surveillance intervened, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Three of the suspects, Abu Abubakar, Musah Latif, and Gideon Takyi, sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead on arrival at St Martins Catholic Hospital at Agroyesum. Dominic Ofori escaped at the time but was later arrested and put before the court.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has assured the public of its continued commitment to combating violent crimes and bringing offenders to justice.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 45-year-old Isaac Boafo, also known as “Duabo King,” for allegedly publishing false news intended to cause fear and panic.
Police said the arrest follows a viral TikTok video in which Boafo claimed that four officers at the Central Police Station in Kumasi engaged in inappropriate conduct with commercial sex workers during night patrols in Asafo.
Officers from the Police Intelligence Directorate (Ashanti Region) apprehended Boafo after receiving intelligence about the video.
During questioning, he admitted to creating the video to attract views and engagement online, and acknowledged that he could not prove the allegations.
Boafo also admitted making comments about the President of the Republic for content purposes and could not defend those statements.
He has been formally charged and is in detention as investigations continue.
The Ashanti Regional Police have warned the public against publishing or sharing false information on social media, noting that such acts can cause fear, panic, and damage reputations.
They said anyone found engaging in similar conduct will face legal action.
By: Jacob Aggrey
