The Ghana Police Service says it has broken up a violent carjacking syndicate blamed for a series of armed robberies and murders in the Ashanti Region, including the recent killing of a Toyota Hilux owner in Kumasi.
Addressing a media briefing in Kumasi, Inspector General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno said investigations into the February 10 murder of Andrews Amankwah at Ohwim-Amanfrom led to the arrest of four suspects and the death of the group’s alleged leader during a police operation.
The crackdown, carried out under the direction of the IGP’s office, involved the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate, the Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team, and the CID Anti-Armed Robbery Unit.
Through sustained surveillance, technical intelligence, and targeted operations, police said they successfully dismantled the group, known as the “Duku Syndicate.”
First Breakthrough
Arrests were made between February 18 and 22 across Kumasi and surrounding communities. One suspect sustained gunshot wounds during an operation and later died in hospital.
Police said the first major breakthrough came on February 18 with the arrest of 47-year-old farmer Akwasi Manu, who was found in possession of the victim’s Samsung mobile phone.
The following day, Bashiru Tanko, also known as “TK,” 33, was arrested at Atonsu in Kumasi. Investigators allege he had previously participated in car-snatching operations in Tarkwa and around the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, though he reportedly did not take part in the most recent attack due to an internal dispute.
On February 21, Kojo Amponsah, alias “Kamakazi,” 35, was apprehended at Hwireso near Boankra. Police say his interrogation linked the syndicate to multiple violent robberies targeting Toyota Hilux vehicles in Kumasi.
Ringleader Killed
The alleged leader, identified as 42-year-old Eric Antwi Duku, was fatally wounded during a late-night operation on February 22 and later pronounced dead. Police recovered a pistol, live ammunition, a tracking detection device, forged vehicle documents, and a Toyota Corolla saloon car from him.
Later that same night, Emmanuel Kwame Appiah, also known as “Taller,” 38, was arrested at Danyame in Kumasi. Investigators say he served as the group’s driver during the fatal Ohwim-Amanfrom robbery.
According to police, the syndicate specialized in targeting Toyota Hilux vehicles, conducting prior surveillance on victims and increasingly resorting to lethal force to carry out their crimes.
Fatal Robberies
Authorities have linked the suspects to at least two deadly robberies in the Ashanti Region, including the February 10 killing of Amankwah and a separate attack at Kronum in which a Toyota Hilux belonging to the Ghana National Association of Teachers was stolen.
Police say the suspects have also confessed to several robberies in Tarkwa and provided intelligence regarding the movement of stolen vehicles toward Ghana’s northern border corridor.
Reaffirming the service’s commitment to public safety, the IGP assured residents that efforts to dismantle violent criminal networks in the Ashanti Region and beyond will continue, while urging the public to volunteer credible information to support ongoing security operations.
